Girl with a Healing Touch
by Marjorie K. Place
Summary: The Final chapter to the Gone Girl Series. Brody and LaSalle attempt to heal as their lives return to normal.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here we are at the final sequel to this series. This part of the story will focus on the healing between our two heroes and is dedicated to those of you who have stuck with me through this crazy collection of stories (the last one especially!). This is my second go around at trying to write a solid romance type of story (The first was Prelude.) and although, I can't guarantee that it will only have one crazy twist. I am challenging myself to limit them.**

 **Thank you to C.O.L and Beatrix for writing such beautiful smut to use as a guide.**

 **Rated M for Adult Situations. This story takes place almost immediately after G.U.F.**

 **The Long Kiss Goodnight**

Brody stood at the sink finishing up the last of the dinner dishes. A lone casserole dish with the last of the remains of baked lasagna sat ready to be scrubbed. "Hey, I thought you were going to help me with these." She called out as Chris came in from outside with Daisy and immediately went to the refrigerator for a cold one.

"Right. What do you need me to do?" he asked.

Brody handed him a salad bowl. "Top shelf, please." Although she was almost as tall as Chris she still needed his couple of inches of extra height to get things that were beyond her reach. Chris came around behind her, flipping the cabinet open with his hand, his warm breath breathing down on her neck.

"You know I keep a step stool in the pantry right?"

"What pantry?" Brody grinned as the front of his cargo pants bumped against her backside. As he went to push the bowl into his proper place she could feel him press up against her. Every virile motion sending shivers up her spine.

"Anything else?" he whispered, playfully nipping at her ear.

He was in rare form tonight, Brody thought as she palmed the counter, refusing to turn into him. "You can take out the trash."

"I already did that." He said as he began to tease her neck with sweet tender bites.

"Walk the dog?"

"Done."

"Fold the laundry?"

"That's your job this week."

Lord help her she thought as he swept her hair aside, letting his kisses become more aggressive. She tried hard not to moan as his hands found their way to her waist but she just couldn't help it. The dirty casserole dish forgotten, she turned into him, looking into those gorgeous blue eyes. Damn, they were mesmerizing. She knew with him looking at her that way that he would be impossible to avoid.

Lifting her chin, she offered him her lips, thrusting them both into an urgent open mouth kiss. She felt a twinge form between her legs as he gripped her hips and pulled her tight up against him. Another low, orgasmic moan escaped her when he started to rock his hips. In a moment, she would be hopelessly wet.

Their chests were heaving now, fighting for air with each of them refusing to stop. Then Brody had an idea. Reaching over his shoulders she began to tug at his t-shirt. She gave him no choice but to pull out of the kiss and rake it over his head.

Each took a moment to take in the necessary air before slamming into one another. This time, Chris had his hands on either side of her face, holding her securely into place while her hands travelled up and down his bare back. Still sensitive from the stabbing, she knew exactly which areas to touch and which to avoid. The area around the left kidney was still the most troublesome spot and bothered him at times, especially, when he had reached his physical limit with a suspect.

Expertly, he started to pull her away from the sink, thinking it was time to move this party elsewhere.

Mischievously, Brody held her ground, refusing to be taken. She was enjoying this moment and wanted to play it out for as long as it would last. She would let him take what he wanted as long as she could stay standing right here at this sink. She needed to remind herself that she was in a battle to defeat those pesky images that continued to pop into her mind every now and then.

And the only way to do that was to keep kissing him. In fact, Dr. Stacy Sheridan had suggested that they keep a calendar with scheduled moments of intimacy so that Brody could work through her fears. Couples therapy had definitely helped to sort out their still spiraling emotions together. But more than that, they were becoming closer as a couple, especially in the bedroom.

LaSalle thought he was going to explode when her hand snaked downward to brush his inseam. The urge not to scoop her up and take her into the bedroom was strong. He had to keep reminding himself that it wasn't about reaching that mind blowing climactic moment but the process that it took to get there. The longer that Merri could stay in the here and now without pulling away in fear the better.

At first, she could only handle a few minutes, five at the most. The idea of keeping her eyes closed, back pressed up against a wall in a totally vulnerable and unguarded situation was still terrifying at times but she was making progress.

She was getting pretty good at masking whatever demons were still lurking inside her but Chris could always tell when she reached the point to where she couldn't handle anymore. She would try to rush the moment and get them into the bedroom as quickly as possible where she felt safe. In the bedroom, keeping her eyes closed and kissing were both optional and sex didn't bother her in the least. There was also a huge difference between being pinned to a mattress and being pinned to up next to brick or drywall.

Briefly, she wondered if standing at the sink where the kitchen counter hit her at the waist counted. She was playing by the rules and keeping her eyes closed while engaging in a searing a kiss. That had to count for something right? But after a while, the burning twinge between her thighs started to grow into a raging monster, begging to be touched.

Unconsciously, she began to twist, letting out soft whimpers as she tried to force him to move away from the counter and into the other room. At one point she even stamped her foot. My god how long was this kiss going to last?

Reaching down to the zipper portion of his pants, she clutched his hidden length and heard him take in a sharp breath. Maybe now she would get someplace she thought as he let out a soft moan from somewhere within his throat.

Nope, he simply moved his hands away from her face and anchored her at the back of the neck. Since when had the man built up such resolve? He was faking it she concluded. I mean after all he was man. Didn't matter than he was probably the most respectful and loving man she'd that she ever met he was still a man and like most men he had his limits. She started to tug at the button above the zipper trying to wriggle it loose. But he grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers.

Begging, she squeezed his hand until her fingernails started to dig into the back of his hand. That spot between her legs was really starting to take over her rational sense of mind. With her free hand, she grabbed the wrist that was holding her neck and brought his hand down between them, spreading her legs ever so slightly.

He started to grin careful, not to break the kiss as he flicked his fingers ever so gently over her soft spot covered by her rayon and polyester pants. He'd barely touched her and she was already starting to jump out her skin.

Damn, he wanted all of her. Was that fucking timer he had set ever going to go off? He nearly laughed out loud when Dr. Sheridan had suggested it, thinking that somehow actually timing their prelude to the real foreplay would somehow take away from living in the moment but it hadn't. It only served to heighten the experience.

Merri struggled to wriggle her hand free of his as he caught her between his index finger and thumb. She was panting now and he was really enjoying it, despite his own throbbing ache. Finally, breaking free of his grasp, she grabbed him by the chest hairs and started to tug. Secretly, pleased when he stiffened against the slight discomfort.

Damn, that was cheating he thought fighting the urge to break away and tear her clothes off. His free hand now on her hip, he increased the thrust of tongue against hers and started to palm her heat.

She was barely breathing now she thought as her breath started to come out in quick short pants of desperation. How long had he set that damn timer for, eternity? Unable to control herself, she grabbed his ass and rolled her hips into him. As if, that were going to have a significant effect on him at this point. The man was already as hard as rock. The only thing he needed was to plunge deep inside until he blew out his brains.

She was nearing the point of absolute frustration, when he released her hip and slid his hand up under her blouse, reaching for her nipples, making her thankful for the fact that she had chosen a thin lacey bra, rather than one with thicker padding. A sensation of release started to wash over her as he teased her with both hands, still refusing to let up on the kiss. She wasn't going to make it to the bedroom she thought as the sounds coming from deep within her throat became more demanding and urgent. On some level this disappointed her, but on the other hand he was sending into oblivion and she hadn't even taken her clothes off yet.

She did feel a sense of satisfaction however as she reeled in the thought that she could cum multiple times during one steamy tryst and he only the one. She would scold him later for taking the moment further than what the rules allowed. After all, the entire exercise was supposed to be about the kiss. The actual foreplay was supposed to come later. Not that she was complaining. Once they actually got to the bedroom she intended to show him just how appreciative she was. The only down side was that now that they were both so worked up if she wasn't careful she could make him finish within a minute.

An orgasmic scream started to climb up the back of her throat as the timer finally went off. Coincidence? She thought, not.

"How long was that?" she panted pressing her forehead into his chest, her knees weak. She absolutely felt like she was going to collapse.

Chis kissed the top her head as he held her close allowing her to enjoy the aftershocks that were attacking every nerve ending in her body.

"9 minutes."

Her eyes widened slightly as she lifted them to him. Nine minutes was a new record for her one for which she would reward him handsomely.

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward the bedroom to begin what she called round two.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ok this is another naughty chapter, but I promise there really is plot developing at the end!**

On their way to the bedroom Chris pulled her into another to kiss, nothing behind her back this time, just a slow burning kiss that made her nerves twitch in places where she didn't know that they existed. When they pulled apart, Chris traced the shape of mouth with his finger, noting how swollen her lips were from their kissing.

Brody took a moment to stroke the side of his face. "I love you," she mouthed, before inviting him to watch as she slowly slipped out of her clothes letting them pool on the hardwood floor. Tonight all of his perfect male perfection was going to be hers she thought kicking her blouse and pants aside.

Damn, she was gorgeous. Not that Chris didn't already know that, but the way the light was shining down on her made him feel like a kid who had just gotten his first glimpse of Playboy Magazine. "Just stay right there." He told her struggling to get the words out.

She giggled as he delicately kissed her bare shoulder, before dropping to his knees to kiss her taut stomach and tease her belly button with his tongue. He ran his hand over the curve of her bottom and slowly caressed her thighs, causing a pulsing sensation between her legs.

"Chris," she warned breathlessly placing her hand on top his head and attempting to fist his short sprigs of hair as his mouth met her hairline. Silently, she thanked the heavens that Cade was in Alabama visiting their mother as a blatant hungry need filled her. She didn't want this moment to end.

He held tightly to her hips as she uncontrollably started to buck, whimpering his name. He loved it when she called out to him, taking her to the edge for which only he could deliver her. Muscles unconsciously constricting and fists clenched, she tossed back her head as pleasure started to overtake her in ways she couldn't describe. He was sending her straight over the moon and into the milky way.

Damn how it was that he had worn her down, not once but twice. The man was still wearing his pants and his shoes! This was completely unacceptable! He was playing her like a fiddle and she was letting him.

Calculating, she waited until he rose back up to his full height and allowed her to unhook his pants. Deftly, she slid her hands down the small of his back and pushed them over his hips, allowing him a moment to kick off his shoes before she grabbed him. Two could play at this game. There was no where he could run or hide.

Eyes locked she watched him grimace as her hand slid beneath his length delicately tickling the flesh that held the seeds that would one day give her children. Dipping his head, he nibbled at her shoulder in effort to escape the gnawing in his gut. But this was war. She owned him now. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she spun him around delivering a harsh and demanding kiss. Together they fumbled toward the bedroom, not realizing how far off they were from the door. Chris slammed into the built-in knocking the laptop to the floor, before they hit the set of French doors.

Brody started to laugh as they finally tumbled to the bed with Chris' hands pinning her as he straddled her.

"Ya think that's funny do ya?" His eyes were playfully wide as he looked down on her as if she were some sort of prize waiting to be taken.

"I do," she quipped grabbing his shoulders and pulling him to her. "Don't worry, I'll go halves with you on a new laptop." She said huskily as their bodies started to fuse together in the missionary position. His arms slid underneath her, gripping her shoulders. Knees bent, her back instantly arched against his thrust. They were one now, working together in a perfect rhythm, just like they when they were in the field.

Opening her eyes, she watched his pinched expression as he worked in deep concentration gauging his movements. "Slow down, I'm not goin' anywhere," she whispered as he started to groan, his breathing becoming more labored and intense. Feeling him relax, she worked with him, to achieve the perfect combination of mindless pleasure.

"You got your timer set?" she tossed out before taking in a sharp breath as he hit that special spot deep inside her. Now, actually timing the moment to see how long they could last might be rather fun she thought as the word no came out in huge rush from his lips.

"Ya want me to set it?" he managed to grin without breaking the motion. It wasn't until she kissed him that he achieved his own release, which sent his mind spinning off to parts unknown and every muscle he had into Jell-O.

For the longest time afterwards they lay side by side, hands drifting over each other's warm flesh, eyes staring deeply.

"Is your back okay?" she finally asked. She hadn't missed the slight hesitation and tightness of his muscles as he claimed her. Though it was subtle, she knew he had held back. The sounds that he usually made when they were making love were off, indicating that he was in some sort of discomfort.

"It'll be all right." he muttered sleepily, before kissing the tip of her nose. He taken all of her with pleasure but had pushed himself too far in the process. Running into the laptop stand didn't help matters any, but he wasn't complaining. He'd made her happy and that was all that counted.

He was just about asleep when he felt her delicately trace his jawline. "So, about Tahiti?"

"What about it?" he replied forcing his eyes back open. Truthfully, if given a choice he would prefer someplace warm that was prime for fishin, and didn't require a passport but for her sake he was willing to branch out. Eventually.

"When are we going?" she asked in only a tone that she could deliver. It was the tone that said she was slightly annoyed with him for not already talking to Pride about taking the time off.

Asking your boss for time off after you had just returned from 6 weeks of convalescent leave was going to be a little difficult. Not to mention, it was highly doubtful that Pride would allow them both off at the same time. "As soon as you can handle more than a five minute shower," He returned pulling her closer to him. Dealing with her water issues were next on Dr. Sheridan's list.

He studied the change in her expression as her face fell into a pout. She had almost conquered her issue with triggering her PTSD when she kissed him. Tonight had proved that. Wasn't that enough?

"Ok," he sighed as he reached up to turn off the light "I'll talk to him in the morning,'" Now that they were F.O.F, free of Fod, they had their lives a head of them . They could finally enjoy their relationship instead always living in angst and pain.

* * *

Daisy let out a yip signaling to her human that it was time for breakfast. ""Chris, it's your turn to get the dog." Brody groaned sleepily, prompting Daisy to place her paws up on the bed and urgently begin licking the agent's face.

Rolling over, Brody began to grope at Chris' side of the bed. It was empty. "Chris?"

Tossing back the covers, Brody stretched and placed her feet on the hardwood floor. Padding softly, she crossed over to the wardrobe and pulled out her floral bathrobe. She hoped that Chris was out getting coffee because after last nights conquest she was going to need it. Making her way into the living room she started to gather up the clothes they had left on the floor and deposited them in the laundry room before letting Daisy out into the courtyard. For several moments, Brody stood in front of the door taking in the morning sun as it streamed in through the window.

"C'mon, Girl!" she called motioning for Daisy to come back inside.

Pulling the sash of her robe tight, she walked into the kitchen where she spotted a large bouquet of fresh daisies sitting on the dinette. She wasn't really a flower person, however she wasn't about to diminish the thought behind it. "Somebody loves me." she quipped, reaching for the note.

 _Michigan,_

 _Went in early to talk to King._

 _Enjoy your morning off._

"I certainly will," she smirked spying the large venti size coffee sitting on the counter.

As told, she took the opportunity that had been given to her for some quite alone time. No anxiety, no looking over her shoulder, no running off the to the hospital in fear, just peaceful, welcomed, silence. It was nice just to be able to hear her thoughts again without them including Fod. She was once again free to think about the things that normal women dreamed about, a home with the man she loved, the possibility of babies and a lifetime of happiness. The idea of it all seemed so simple. However, her life was anything but.

She came out the bedroom, ready for work, when she heard the door open. Glancing at the clock it was a little after 11:00. "Chris?" she questioned adjusting her diamond stud earring as he came into her view. "Why are you home? I thought we were meeting at the office?"

Hands shoved in his back pockets he pulled his lips into a tight smile. "We were, but somethin' came up."

Brody's beautiful, large, brown eyes flooded with concern. She'd seen this look on his face before and it was never good. "What is it?" she asked slowly.

Chris pulled his hands out of his pockets and locked his fingers behind his head before blowing out a tense sigh, his chest tightening. "Well, uh, it seems that Director Vance is still upset about that street camera catching us on video that night in the alleyway so I'm leavin' New Orleans. King told me this morning I've been temporarily transferred."


	3. Chapter 3

"Agent Afloat?" Brody repeated giving Pride an evil glare. Vance was sticking the knife in deep, twisting it. If the intent was to put distance between the two agents, he would certainly succeed.

Pride circled around his desk as he tried to busy himself with the goings on of their most recent case. "Don't look at me that way. I've already had this conversation with Christopher."

Brody followed her superior as he started for the stairs. "But Chris doesn't have any experience with that, why don't you let me go instead?"

Pride stopped and turned around. Was she serious? After her experience on the Moultrie the question had him intrigued to say the least. "You'd really want another assignment as an Agent Afloat?"

"I-Chris- he belongs here. New Orleans is his home. " She didn't want to say it aloud, but her precious and beloved Bama boy with all of his southern charm was usually a fish out of water when taken out of his element. The south was literally part of the man's DNA. He wouldn't know how to function anywhere else.

"We all have to do have to put in our time, doin ' other things once in a while. The change will be good for him."

Brody reached out and touched his arm. "But Pride, it was my fault."

Pride let out a deep sigh. He'd already gone round and round with Director Vance about imposing what seemed to be a rather unconventional reprisal. "Listen, even if I wanted to send you instead, I couldn't."

Her brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Because the assignment is on a submarine that's bein' deployed and until the rules change, women aren't allowed."

A sub? Brody was a bit taken back. LaSalle had left out that tid-bit of information.

* * *

"A submarine? Really Chris?" Brody walked into the bed room to him already haphazardly packing a bag. He didn't leave for another day in a half.

"I was gunna tell ya," he said, lowly as he threw a several pairs of socks into the bottom the bag. He really had intended to tell her but when she had confronted him the idea of leaving NOLA was still sinking in, he, himself, was still trying to process it.

But a submarine was so confining and Brody worried about his state of mind and how he might deal with being sequestered in such close quarters with nowhere to go. He might not wake up screaming like she still did every once in a while, but the man had his demons.

"I'm afraid of heights, not claustrophobic." Gently, he turned into her placing his hands on her slender hips. He knew she was upset. Whether they both would admit it or not, this was going to put a kink in their healing process as a couple. "It's a 3 months, we can do this." He said pressing his forehead to hers.

"12 weeks," Brody swallowed, tangling their fingers, sounding like she was trying to convince herself that 12 weeks was somehow shorter than three months. 84 days, 90 at the most. He was lucky that he was meeting the sub at the halfway point of their deployment, in Rota Spain. Rota, being the midpoint between the United States and Southwest Asia was set in the Straights of Gibraltar, where some of the world's most beautiful beaches existed.

He pulled away from her slightly, "I gotta surprise fer ya . Somethin' to cheer you up."

"What?"

"You're comin' with me." He grinned.

What? Brody looked confused as he handed her an airline confirmation for a round trip ticket from NOLA to Madrid.

"The crew's being given a 96, so I figure I'll have a few days on my hands before the sub deploys again. Sight seein' will be more a lot more fun if yer with me." Chris flashed a shy version of his signature grin, "I know it's not Tahiti but it is the land of 500 beaches."

Brody still couldn't quite comprehend. "Pride is okay with this?"

"It was his idea."

Brody smiled at him largely before flinging her arms around his neck. It wasn't her dream vacation but it would certainly help take the sting out of things.

* * *

From New Orleans, the flight to Madrid was a smooth eleven and half hours of flying time with one stop in Philadelphia. Chris had been lucky that the Navy had actually assigned him a commercial flight rather than a military hop, meaning that he and Brody could travel together. He was actually surprised that the government had sprung for first class.

"You all right?" Brody asked giving his hand a squeeze as the plane started to gain altitude.

Chris brought her hand to his lips. As long as he didn't look out the window at a point where he could still see the ground he would be fine. "Flyin' usually doesn't bother me."

Six hours into the flight the need to move and stretch was manifesting itself through a series of spasms throughout his back, from where Fod's blade had damaged the muscle tissue and severed the nerve. Most days were good, save for days with prolonged standing or sitting.

"I gotta stretch my legs a bit," he told Brody as he pushed his way out of the aisle seat.

"I think I'll join you." She followed him out of the cabin where they made their way to the coach section and headed to the very back of the plane. It was a little after one a.m. central time so the most cabin was dark, save for a few reading lights here and there. The majority of the passengers seemed to be sleeping.

Brody watched as his hand fell to the door of the laboratory and suddenly and idea hit her. For the last several hours she had been fantasizing about their experience on the pool table, well pool tables if she were honest. They had actually experimented with more than one in town.

How sexy would it be to do the man she loved on a plane? Panning the immediate area, she pushed him inside and locked the door.

Whoever said that women in their 40's had a decrease in sex drive didn't know Meredith Brody. Before LaSalle even had time to blink, she was crushing her mouth to his and reaching for the hook on his jeans. In a matter of seconds, her hand was in his pants waking up his already jet lagged cock.

"I don't have anything w'th me," he moaned as she tore away from his lips and went for the ticklish area right above his collar bone.

"I'll risk it," she whispered against his flesh. It was payback time for the night he had pinned her up against the sink and then loved her in the living room, all with his pants still intact. Seductively, she pushed him down to the toilet seat, letting his pants pool at his ankles. Forcing him into dangerous territory.

"Now," she whispered, kneeling. Teasingly, she scraped his thighs with her long nails, abrading gently. "The trick to this is to be as quite as you can."

"Easier said than done." He groaned, letting out a strangled breath as she went down on him, enveloping his flesh like a well fitted glove. Chris squeezed his eyes tightly shut, clenching his jaw. It was all that he could do hold back the sounds of a man who's body throbbed, crying out for relief. At one point, he was pretty sure he had quit breathing as the sounds threatened to leap out from somewhere deep inside his throat. His fingertips turned blue in response to his gripping of the side of the lid. By far, this was worse than any torture he had received at the hands of a suspect, murderer or otherwise.

Man, where had she learned to give blow jobs like that? The woman had a gift and God willing she would never share it with anyone else.

"I'm going to miss this," Brody whispered wiping the back of her hand across her mouth as she pulled to her feet leaving her lover completely spent and shaking. For a moment, she was afraid he had blown out a vein trying to everything hold back in the name of absolute silence. She was pleased over the fact that she could say without a doubt, probably for the first time in his life, she'd pulled him out his clean cut, well mannered, outstanding law man realm and delivered him to the depths of sexual acts that until now, they had only joked about.

His ass was numb and his tailbone ached from the sitting on the hard metal toilet seat but he barely noticed over the fact that she had literally left him quivering. One thing was certain; sleeping out the rest of the flight would not be problem. The tricky part was going to be getting back to his seat. He was pretty sure that his legs were nothing but rubbery limp bands incapable of supporting his weight.

"Give me a 20 second a head start?" Brody said when he had made himself presentable. "Oh, and that should last you until you get back home," she whispered naughtily into his lips before slipping out the door.

Chris chuckled softly shaking his head, knowing that the memory of this moment would be the one that would get him through the long lonely nights yet to come.

When he finally returned to his seat, he noticed that Brody has raised the arm rest to allow for subtle snuggling. Outstretching his arm, he wrapped around her shoulder and tugged her to him, inviting her to his chest. Lifting her chin, she smiled at him before he kissed her. Somewhere she had found a breath mint, he noted tasting a cool minty flavor.

"This was a good idea." she said softly as they parted for a moment. "A really good idea." She still had four days before he deployed with the USS Rincon and she intended to make the most of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This ones a little shorter than my usual chapters but I think I made my point. Oh yes, there is actual plot in this one!**

 **A big thank you to Whatshername for the review!**

Chris was pulled from a dead sleep when he heard Merri gasp. It was the gasp that came right before the scream. Rolling over, he wrapped his arms around her shaking form and delicately kissed her temple.

"It's ok, I got ya." He whispered in her ear as he felt her start to relax. For the next couple of hours, he did nothing but hold her, keeping her wrapped in a safe cocoon of his embrace. He had to wonder how she was going to fair while he was gone. When he stopped to think about it, this would be the first time he would actually spend any real time away from her. Part of him wondered how she was going to handle it.

On the outside, she still presented a tough, confident, exterior, but once you peeled back the layers and the false self-assurance, she was still damaged from all of the torture that Fod had inflicted upon her. They both were.

"Good morning," she grinned sleepily, shifting in his arms so that she was facing him. Softly, she kissed him with slow, easy pecks. "How did you sleep?"

"Terrible," he grinned into her sleepy face.

"Sorry," she whispered as she felt something gritty on her legs. "Ugh, is that sand?"

Chris raised his eye brows as her irises came into view. "And that surprises ya?"

"No," she sighed, happily, but slightly embarrassed over last night's romp on the beach. For what it was worth they had given at least dozen other tourists a free show. For Brody it had been the recreation of a favorite movie scene, role play if you will; she and Chris in the wet sand with water slowly coming up around them.

For Chris, it had been an exercise in trying to maneuver with sand in his shorts. He was pretty sure he had abrasions in places where abrasions were never meant to be.

"So what do you want to do today?" Brody moved up a little higher on his chest, nipping at his jawline.

"I can't," he quipped grabbing her wrist as it slid down low onto his stomach. Spent, whipped, whatever you wanted to call it, he didn't have the energy to take her on again. At least not at the moment.

"But it's our last day. I want to be with you, she returned, suggestively throwing a leg over his thigh. She hated to sound like a pouty, love sick, teenager but she didn't know any other way to express it. Their time together was quickly coming to end. She felt the more that they connected physically, the more they would have to hold on to.

Chris clutched her face. "Maybe after lunch. There's somethin' I gotta do this morning." He knew he could pacify her by saying that he needed to meet with the Captain to go over some things before they deployed tomorrow, which was true. But in addition, he had a surprise for her.

Brody pulled her lips to one corner of her mouth. "So you're leavin' me huh?"

"Meb'be you can take in another one of those museums that ya wanted ta see?" Like most places, in Europe, Madrid was filled with a rich historical heritage. He knew how much she loved history and all of the cultural fascination that went along with exploring a new place.

"You just want to get out of taking me." She said, poking his side in a ticklish manner until he started to squirm.

"You'd better stop."

She tossed a leg over him, inching her way on top of him as she whispered into his lips with a seductive yearn to her voice. "So, what are you going to do on those long, lonely nights on that big ol submarine?"

"Dream about you," It was cliché, but it was also true. His hands started to roam down her back, prompting a purr from deep insider her throat. Her soft tender kisses teased him awaking his tired and recovering flesh.

Hands roaming freely, he outlined the shape of her soft slender form until he felt her start to inch down on him. "Stop," he said, playfully clutching ahold of her wrists.

"Make me." She whispered, pretending to dominate. She struggled briefly as he started to twist, further tangling them both into his sheets. Pulling back, as he shifted to the right, they both tumbled to the floor, taking the lamp from the night stand with them.

LaSalle groaned as he landed solidly on the plush carpet flooring with Brody still on top of him. Brody briefly thought about his back as they both burst into a fit of giggles.

"Well, this is a lovely way to start the day." Brody snorted softy trying to make headway with the sheet but only succeeded in tangling herself up further.

"Definitely, an eye opener," LaSalle hissed as Brody finally managed to roll off of him. For several moments, he just laid there as Brody padded around the broken pieces from ceramic from the lamp.

"Here, let me help you up." She giggled, holding the sheet with one hand while extending the other. He used her momentum to spring back to his feet, as tender nerve endings sent out a feeling of irritation.

"You okay?" she asked, with a hint of concern as he managed to straighten to his full height.

"Nothin' a good hot shower won't fix."

Brody looked at him mischievously as if she were offering a challenge. "Last one to the shower, buys breakfast!" LaSalle chased her through the modest sized hotel room and into the bathroom.

"I win," she grinned leaning up against the Plexiglas door to the shower.

"Then ya better come collect yer prize," Chris quipped, cupping her face. Brody smiled largely as she leaned into his awaiting kiss, allowing the sheet that was still wrapped around her to drop to the tiled floor.

She was going to miss this, she swallowed as the kiss broke and Chris snapped a towel from the rack up above the toilet.

"I'll be out in a few minutes and then we can continue this conversation." He grinned, kissing her softly before sidestepping to turn on the warm spray. "You can watch if ya like."

Brody rolled her eyes hiding the tightening sensation in her chest. She envied him for being able to use the shower like a normal person, where she could still only managed about five minutes. Conquering the shower was next on Doctor Sheridan's list, however Brody couldn't help but feel a little ill eased about it. With Chris gone, she wouldn't have anyone to cheer her on or to play little games with the timer.

Tears started to well up in her eyes as he disappeared under the warm droplets that were still paralyzing to her. She watched him through the Plexiglas as he leaned up against the shower wall, letting the water run down his muscular back.

What she was going to do without him? Swiping at her eyes, she reached for the shower door, her hand trembling. Willing herself, she tugged on it until it popped prompting Chris to look up at her in shock. Was she really coming into the shower?

"I don't want you to go," she sobbed leaning into the envelope of his arms as he attempted to shield her from the spray. They had tried this once before and it had turned out disastrous. Chris blew out an emotional sigh letting his chin rest upon her head as cried into his chest. He never quite knew what to do when women cried, but in this case he felt Brody's pain. A brief thought of resigning his position crossed his mind as he forced himself to swallow the lump that had gathered in his throat. Even though it was the emotion that was driving her, he was so damn proud of her for attempting to conquer her fear.

He blew out another sigh, attempting to fight back his own tears. "Ya want me ta get my timer?" he quipped as she looked up at him with a quivering lip.

Brody managed a slight smile as she started to tremble in his arms.

"Ya don't have to do this." he said dipping his chin to her as she snaked an arm around his neck and grabbed a hold of his manly flesh.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you for sticking with me. I'm having fun with my romantic adventure**. **The big goodbye is almost here.**

Brody tried to smile as Chris swept a kiss across her wet temple. The attempt to be with him in the shower had turned out as another epic fail. This wasn't way she wanted their final day to be. Instead of a day filled with fun and romance, she was quickly turning it into nothing but a blubbering hot mess of frustration and tears.

"It's ok," he said softly tucking a wet strand of hair behind her ear. "That's not what I wanted anyway."

Merri looked at him, red nosed and teary eyed. She felt so stupid for not being to give him something as simple as sharing a shower. "What do you want?"

Chris grinned at her, kissing her lips. "You'll see when I get back."

Brody frowned, swatting at him as she remembered his meeting with the Captain of the USS Alabama. "I hate when you do that."

"Do what?" He gave her that innocent little boy look, the one that he knew made her weak in the knees yet infuriated her at the same time.

"Keep things from me."

Chris looked at her bewildered, before he dipped a finger under her chin, "I'm not keepin anything from ya, but I do have a surprise for ya."

Brody let out a growl from deep inside of her throat as he pressed his lips to hers in time with the sound of his phone.

"That's my ride, gotta go." He kissed her one more time, before heading out the door, not giving her an opportunity to retort.

For several minutes after he was gone, she stood with her arms crossed against her chest, the nagging pain in her heart which started as a subtle pang was already turning into a huge gaping hole of emotion.

They were down to just hours now. As much as she wanted to, she just didn't see how this day was going to turn out happy. She should be used this she berated herself referring to all of times she had been lead around the nose and abandoned by her former fiancé, James. The times of separation never really seemed to bother her, but maybe that was just reflection of their relationship as a whole. It was toxic, just a charade of what she now had with LaSalle.

Chris had become her lifeline and constant companion and protector. She knew she needed to get out of the habit of depending on him so much but she was different now, softer, and not quite as confident. That was the funny thing about having a mad man come in and disrupt your lives. Whether she had wanted it to or not, it changed her.

Fod had literally stripped her down and taken everything that she had, had. Now all that was left was an opportunity to rebuild herself.

She was quickly turning into a hot mess she assessed, deciding that she was going to trigger another PTSD attack if she didn't stop. A knock on the door, helped to pull her from her funk. It was the bellman delivering the laundry that she had sent out the day before.

After leaving the man a handsome tip, she moved back into the bedroom where she pulled out their bags. Deciding it was best to start packing, rather than hanging everything or placing it in the dresser, she started with Chris' Navy issued duffle bag first. Tugging open the large green canvas bag, she reached inside and pulled out the few things that were left on the bottom, to make room for his shoes. It was amazing how little the man had packed for a three month trip she thought as she pulled out a handful of socks and t-shirts, that included several Henley's and her favorite short sleeved classic black t-shirt. She loved the way, it played across his chest, accent his pecks and biceps.

Dipping her hand in one more time, she felt her fingers hit something small and boxed shaped. What was this? Her eyes widened as she pulled out the tell-all little velvet box. Her heart started to beat wildly as she realized what might be inside. For several moments she held it in her hand, afraid to open it.

Fear gripped her. What if it was ring? Were they ready for that? She didn't know. But what if were only earrings? Would she be disappointed? She knew she shouldn't spoil whatever Chris had planned by opening it, so she put in back in the bottom of the bag and started to pile clothes on top of it.

 _Walk away, Merri, just walk away_. She told herself backing away from the bag. She started to turn away when curiosity killed the cat. Going back to the bag, she plucked out articles of clothing, depositing them on the bed until Chris' bag was once again empty.

 _Put everything back, put everything back._ She berated, until the devil's advocate got the best of her, forcing her fingers to curl around the small beveled square. Her stomach turned, nerves eating away at her as she opened the lid.

Staring back at her sat a magnificent sparkling three-quarter carat diamond set in a white gold band with small accent diamonds on the side. Slapping a hand over her mouth, she felt the tears begin to well again. The idea of becoming engaged again absolutely terrified her. They had just begun to heal and enjoy their lives. Well, up until Director Vance stepped in and pulled the rug out from under them and decided to send Chris on a three month cruise under the sea.

But on the other hand, they had already been through more than ten average people suffered through in a life time. So, what difference did a ring and a legal binding piece of paper make? She knew there could never be anyone else as long as Chris was alive. Not to mention who else would want them? They were both so damaged and undeniably broken that neither could exist without the other.

Unable to resist, she took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger. It was almost a perfect fit. She stuck out her hand admiring it from a distance.

 _Meredith Brody-LaSalle._ She smiled enjoying the way it sound as it rolled off her lips. She was still admiring the way the diamond was sparking in the light when she heard the door handle click.

 _Shit! Shit!_

Tugging the ring from her finger, she shoved it back into the box and tossed it back into Chris' bag as he appeared in the entry way.

"I forgot my tablet."

"It's over here," Brody answered hastily trying to deal with the clothes that she had strewn all over the bed.

Chris' brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed as he moved closer to her his grinning lover. "What'd heck happened to all my clothes?"

"Nothing, the laundry service just dropped them off," Merri said quickly folding a pair of his briefs.

"Like that?" he questioned noting her back was still to him. Reaching for her elbow, he whirled her around. "You've been snoopin' haven't ya?"

"No," she shook her head, with a guilty grin. There was no way she could hide her fearful excitement, "Now why would I do that?"

Chris jutted out his chin, grinning playfully, "I don't know. You tell me."

Part of her felt really guilty for what she was about to say. But she knew he always had a way of seeing right through her. "I wasn't snooping. I was putting away your clothes and my hand happened to come across the box."

"Really?" Automatically his face reflected a certain amount of disappointment, combined with mischievous intent. He'd worked hard at planning the perfect proposal. "Because whatever you found that you weren't supposed to see is for my other girlfriend."

Stepping in, she wrapped her arms about his torso, whispering huskily. "She must be a lucky girl."

"You don't know how lucky." He quipped, pecking her lips.

"I think I have an idea," she said she grinned into his awaiting kiss. "Sorry, I ruined whatever you had planned." She said when the kiss broke.

Chris flicked his tongue over his lips, an intense expression spreading over his face. He really wasn't prepared to do this now, but as long as the cat was out of the bag he might as well finish what she had accidently started.

Nervously, he rubbed his chin. He didn't have time for this now. His car was waiting outside he needed to leave. "I guess that depends on your answer."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Quick update! Thank for the lovely reviews on this little somewhat angsty romance.**

Anxious anticipation filled his chest as Brody opened her mouth and then promptly shut it. She was hesitating. Was there really any doubt in her mind? The woman who stayed 7 days at his bedside while he'd been a coma was hesitating? The woman he had saved from Fod the first time and selflessly stood by while she recovered actually had to think about it? She had to be kidding.

Eyes wide with confusion, he silently prompted her to say something. "Why wasn't she saying anything?"

"I gotta go." He said when she continued to remain silent. He turned and started for the door with Brody on his heels, grabbing at his sleeves.

"Yes, Yes, I will marry you." She said frantically as the material of his shirt slipped between her fingers.

"Ya, sure? Because ya hesitated." He didn't know how else to say it other than he was hurt.

* * *

Her big doleful eyes looked up at him. She'd been caught off guard with finding the ring and then him abruptly coming in when he was supposed to be gone, "You didn't really ask me." She said her voice filling with fear.

Oh god. What if he left thinking that she didn't want him? She'd only hesitated for a minute or two but to LaSalle it must have felt like a rejection. She didn't know how to tell him that she was completely taken back by his intent to make her his wife. With everything they'd only been dating 6 months. Four of those months were spent watching him try to recover from the life threatening injuries he had received at the hand of Fod and the other two she had stubbornly wasted being mad at him over keeping Sophie's disappearance a secret. When she stopped to think this impromptu trip was the first time they'd actually gone away and spent quality together and even it had its limitations and time constraints.

They'd never even talked about marriage; save for the dreamy eyed promises that were made after an intense moment of lovemaking and even then the word _married_ never came up. It was always _I want to spend the rest of my life, can't imagine life without you_ type of statements.

Did he need to at this point? "Ya found the ring, what did want me ta do? Get down on one knee?"

James had done that she thought silently. Getting down on one knee was the last thing she wanted. She didn't want anything that would compare him to her former bedpartner. Chris was good and kind and loyal as all get out.

"I love you, Chris," she said as honestly as she could, touching his face. She could see in his eyes that her slight hesitation had hurt him. "There's nobody else I want to spend my life with."

"But-"

Technically there was no _but._ There was incredibly bad timing on both of their parts she thought watching him look down at this phone started to buzz at his hip. His driver was still impatiently waiting. "We'll talk about this when I get back, the car's wait'n."

Brody could only nod as he walked away from her and out the door.

* * *

The next several hours went painstakingly slow as she waited for Chris to return. She knew it was going to be long day with the round trip to Rota being 90 minutes there and back, not counting however long it took him to conduct his briefing with the captain.

She tried to busy herself by going out to the local marketplace for trinket shopping and spending time on the beach but each and every second she found herself thinking about the ring, and fantasizing over what Chris had intended to do for the proposal. She felt so guilty for ruining it with her louder than Hells Bells hesitation.

Fear was a powerful factor in her slight moment of silence she reasoned as she tried to engross herself in a romance novel on her Kindle. No such luck. Returning to the bag, she dug out the ring and slipped it back onto her finger. Maybe if Chris saw her wearing it, he'd allow her a do over.

It was nearly 6 O'clock when she heard the door to the room open. She was sitting on the veranda gazing out at the water, as it ebbed along the shore. Her heart ramming inside her chest, she rose to her feet and pulled her towel around her waist, covering up the black bikini bottoms and padded inside.

"So, what's your case about?" she asked. Talking about his new case was neutral and would allow her to ease into their earlier conversation without sounding like a desperate idiot.

"Murder," Chris replied as he started to empty his pockets. "At their last port, a seamen assigned to the lower deck found a dead body in one of the torpedo tubes."

"Male or female?" she quizzed.

"Female, doctor assigned to do research. Evidence points to one of the crew." For several months now, trials had been placing professional women aboard selected subs in the short term to serve in key roles in order familiarize crew members with the idea of women one day becoming a part of the crew.

"A murder investigation where you're stuck on board with the potential killer," Brody started to towards him, meeting him half way. "I don't like that." It wasn't anything that she herself hadn't dealt with when she had been the Agent Abroad, they were both so vulnerable now. Their experience with Fod had really brought down to the realistic and at times terrifying aspects of their job. They were no longer the immortal heroes they once thought themselves to be.

"I'll be fine." He said wrapping his hands around her towel clad waist.

"But what about us?" she asked dropping her eyes. "Are we fine?"

"I dunno, you tell me."

She lifted her head, kissed him, tasted him, ran her hands over his face as their tongues met, mating. But not lustfully, instead it was sensual, warm and moist. "I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear when he pulled away. "I didn't mean to hesitate."

"I want to marry you, Chris, I do, I-"

He pressed a finger to her lips. Whatever she needed to resolve wasn't going to be fixed before he left and would surely eat away at him while he was gone. But right now, he just wanted to be with her. He knew that as the night wore on that spiraling emotions on both ends would make intimacy difficult. He wanted to show her one last time how much she meant to him.

Tugging on her towel, he discarded it before sweeping her up, carrying her into the other room, and placing her on the bed.

In a matter of seconds, the bikini top she had been wearing went sailing across the room. Gauging her expression, he raked his shirt over his head and undid his pants before covering his body to hers, so that they were bare chest to bare chest.

She slipped her hand into his pants and smiled as he grew hard and hungry at her touch while he greedily nuzzled at her neck.

Tenderly, he kissed his way down to her breastbone, while his hand ran the length of her inner thigh, making her shudder.

They were just so damn good at this. Her back arched into him, prompting his hands to move to her face.

"Ut-uh," he grinned in between soft but heated kisses.

Taking in a breath she let out a sigh as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're going to make me suffer for finding the ring and ruining your big proposal?" Sometimes it amazed her how much resolve the man had when it came to sex. She supposed that it would prove to be a positive trait when stuck on a submarine with 500 other men and nothing but magazines and nothing but your own hand for comfort.

"Yup." He said simply.

Brody couldn't help but laugh when he tumbled her across the bed, undressing each other as they went along. "Careful, we don't want to fall again." She giggled as her hands started to greedily roam over his flesh.

"I'm going to miss this," she said, running her fingers through his chest hairs as they lay tangled in the sheets of the glowing aftermath.

"Me too." He replied, kissing her.

Tenderly, she caressed the side of his face. "So when do you want to do this?" she asked moving her hand to his chest, so that she could look at her ring and watch the sparkles as the filtered light played upon the diamond.

Chris took her hand and drew it to his lips. "Tonight, next year, don't really matter as long as yer happy."

"Tonight?" she repeated, careful not to hesitate. "Don't we need a marriage license?"

"Already got one," he proclaimed, proudly before confessing that after meeting with the Captain, he'd actually spent the later half of his day obtaining the document. "We can go down to the American consulate right now and get hitched if ya want."

"So, that was your plan, huh? Seduce me into marrying you before you sail off to parts unknown?"

"Pretty much."

Brow's eyes narrowed slightly. "And when were you planning on purposing?"

"You mean the proposal you ruined?" he clipped his eyes widening in jest. "You'll never know."

Brody chuckled softly burying her head into his chest. "You're never going to let me live that down are you?"

"Nope," he grinned, pulling her up on his chest.

Banter aside, her face changed. "What about all our friends, family?" She didn't want a big wedding, just something intimate with the people they loved.

"We kin halve one when I get back to New Orleans but this ones just for you, something to give ya to hold on to." The idea of a bigger wedding a later was something to her a little extra incentive until he got back, while the smaller more intimate one was to designed to show his unwavering commitment and devotion.

Clutching his chin, she cocked one eyebrow. "You really think I need a wedding ring to hold onto while you're gone? Just how insecure do you think I am, LaSalle?"

Chris gently removed her hand from his face. "Well, let's see. Ya wake up screamin' a lot, you're terrified of the water, can't watch violent movies anymore and ya still tremble a little bit every time ya try ta kiss me."

He knew her better than she knew herself and he was right. Not that she was willing to give him credit mind you.

"As opposed to you holding it all in?"

"I don't have any issues," he said watching her scoff.

"Oh Whatever! But here's the deal, when we get married, I don't want to be the crazy woman who wakes up screaming on her honeymoon because she's afraid that her new husband to going to get stabbed. I want to be whole again, Chris."

"That's fair." He said, gently stroking her hair. "But for the record, you've got three months to work on it."

"I love you, Alabama." She smiled into him using the pet name that correlated to his calling her _Michigan._

"I love you, more."

She moistened her lips. "We are going to get through this, right?"

His face twisted. "Why wouldn't we?" Fod wasn't a threat to them anymore. What else could possibly be standing in their way?

* * *

The following morning, Brody boarded the plane, with her bottom lip quivering as hard as she tried she just couldn't make it stop. Saying goodbye to Chris and watching him drive away had just about torn her soul out. Her only consolation had been that when he kissed her for the last time she had felt his lips quivering against hers too.

Settling into her seat, she steeled herself for the long trip home and what life was going to be like for the next three months. At the moment it was a miserable thought. Unconsciously, she began to play with the ring, happy that she had chosen to wear it.

Closing her eyes, she felt the sting of tears. Why hadn't she just agreed to marry him last night? How hard would that have really been? The only plus side was now she would have time to plan and map out their lives instead of rushing into things.

She opened her eyes at the sensation of plane moving as it started to taxi down the runway and remembered her phone. She'd forgotten to put it in airplane mode. Reaching for it, she saw that she had a text from Chris.

 _I miss ya already._

 _P.S. There's a surprise waitin' for ya when ya get home._

What bigger surprise could you have than this? She said aloud with a smile coming to her face as she looked at her ring.

 _I love you and stay safe_ she texted back quickly knowing that he probably wouldn't get it until the Sub hit its first port.

 **A/N: And he's off!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: So here we are at the second half of Girl with the Healing Touch. Recap: Brody and LaSalle are happily trying to recover from Fod, when Director Vance decides that a reprisal is in order and temporarily sends our Boy from Bama away but not before Chris and Merri share a romantic getaway in Spain, where she accidently finds the engagement ring that Chris intends to propose with, somewhat spoiling his surprise. On her way back to NOLA Brody receives a text from Chris, that a gift will be waiting for her at home.**

 **The second half of the story is going to following along with the lines of a _P.S. I love you_ theme if you are familiar with that movie, but of course, my usual flare for craziness will ensue. **

"Merri, how was the trip?" Loretta's warm smile and loving arms greeted the weary looking agent as she started up the walk. Brody had made the decision to stay at the guest cottage her first night back in NOLA. It just made things easier. Daisy was there and well staying with the Motherly M.E. was just a little less lonely than staying at Chris' place, sleeping in his bed, the bed they shared most often with the street musician's and routine party goers right outside.

She did feel a tad bit guilty trying to banish her lover from her mind so soon after their separation but it literally hurt not to be able to see or touch him, or hear his ridiculously thick southern accent.

"Merri?" Loretta questioned.

She lowered her head, twisting the white gold engagement ring on her finger. "Chris asked me to marry him."

A grin of approval bloomed on the worldly medical examiner's lips. From very beginning she had seen the chemistry and the easy going camaraderie that existed between them. It was no surprised that the paths they had been given had led to this.

"And what did you say?"

Brody sucked in a breath, exhaling deeply. "Some day."

Loretta's smile faded a bit, "You're still healing."

Brody nodded, she didn't want to say it aloud but there were times when she thought that everything they had been through with Fod was just too much. Nearly losing Chris still wreaked havoc with her mind.

"What's wrong with me, Loretta? I love him." She looked at her friend a bit wild eyed, still regretting the fact that she hadn't just said yes and eloped when she'd been given the opportunity. Now that Chris was thousands of miles away sequestered under the sea, it seemed so silly not to have just sealed their relationship with a legally binding document and some heartfelt words of commitment. God, she was an idiot.

"He knows that dear," Loretta said softly as TJ came bounding outside with Daisy.

The 8 month old German Shepard-Rot mix yipped excitedly, her entire body wriggling happily over the sight of her mistress.

"There's my girl," Brody cooed softly as the canine waited patiently for permission to jump up and greet the human she so unconditionally adored.

"I walked her every day," TJ said proudly as Brody dropped to a crouching position to love on the dog. "You did huh? Kind of sounds like to me you need a reward." The agent added eyeing the boy's foster mother carefully.

Loretta gave a consensual nod and waited for Merri to rise back to her feet and pay the young man. "Speaking of reward, Christopher left something for you. It's in the bedroom."

"He left something here?" Brody was surprised; she'd been expecting to find something at home but not here. She rarely stayed here anymore. For all practical purposes she lived with Chris, not that she had been invited to she had just decided to barge on in with Daisy after they had returned from Florida to help him recover and there she had stayed.

Without another word, she skipped up the steps of the guest house, with Daisy trailing. There on the bed was an attractive black gift bag lined with silver tissue paper and a little card attached with LaSalle's scrawl.

 _Michigan,_

 _I know how riled up, you get in your sleep. Hope this helps._

Pushing the tissue aside, she reached in and pulled out Chris' black t-shirt that she loved so much, pressing it to her face. It smelled richly of his sporty scent and a hint of his natural earthy aroma. She knew he had more than one, but this one…this was the original one; the one that gripped his biceps just right that it nearly made her wet just thinking about it, the one that she'd slept in all seven days that'd he was in the coma, because she desperately needed to be close him, the one that other women turned their heads for when he came walking down the street. It was the one that she had been wearing the first night they had made love on the pool table (Cade's pool table, in the middle of Chris' living room).

The urge not to pack up Daisy and run home to the Quarter where she could lay in the middle of Chris' bed tangled in his sheets was almost overwhelming so much so she felt a gnawing twinge form between her legs.

A hint of embarrassment started to crawl up her neck. It had been just a little over 24 hours since they had said their goodbyes and here she was getting all work up over a t-shirt, not just any t-shirt, my guy looks fucking amazing in this t-shirt and you'll never have him, but still it was the point. He'd left it behind for her that she'd feel more at ease when she crawled into bed at night and she loved him for that.

She pulled out her phone thinking she would text him when suddenly she remembered he wouldn't get it, not for a while at least. Her heart sank down into the depths of belly where it there it would reside for the next 118 days.

The idea that she wouldn't be able to communicate with him on a daily basis messed with her head a bit. Even with Fod gone from their lives it was hard not to worry about him when he wasn't but a few feet from her. The urge to keep looking over her shoulder all of the time was still there.

 _/Push it from your mind, Merri. He's fine./_

* * *

Heading into the work in the next morning, Brody wore a smile of false positivity, determined to put on a good face in front of her co-workers. It would be business as usual for the most part. She was already used to working without her partner to some extent, given the fact that he'd just spent 6 weeks on convalescent leave, but again the idea that she couldn't just drop everything to randomly check on him, hear his voice…

 _/Stop/_

"There's our world traveler. How was the trip," Pride greeted her with a hearty hug as soon as she hit door.

"It was amazing. Spain is absolutely beautiful." Brody wasn't sure how to address the idea that Chris had given her a ring to Pride and in fact she had debated about wearing her engagement ring at all, convincing herself that it was something that she and LaSalle should tell him together, so for the moment she said nothing.

She spotted Percy coming in the kitchen, cup of coffee in her hand. "Welcome back, B."

Brody half expected the brash agent to say something curt, especially now that LaSalle was gone. Percy no longer had her country mouse to in which to sling her at times irreverent insults.

"Country mouse get off ok?" Percy asked, her hands wrapped tightly around her favorite mug.

"He did," Brody looked past the younger agent to see Patton coming in through the side door with an unfamiliar male figure. "Who's that?"

Percy glanced passed her friend to Pride, forcing Brody's eyes to follow.

"Jaxxon Rowe," Pride said, "LaSalle's replacement."

"His what?" Brody stiffened, certain that her tone reflected the anger that was threatening to leap from behind her lips. How could Pride even think of referring to the man as LaSalle's replacement? There was no such thing. Chris could never be replaced, ever, end of story.

Pride put his hands up, regretting not prefacing his words. "Temporary, from the Carolina's office. He's here to shadow me, their having a changing of the guard and director Vance thought it would be a good idea if I did some mentoring, while the new administration gets their feet wet."

"Oh," she said quietly as the new agent extended his hand.

"You must be Brody. I've heard a lot about you."

"Please call me, Merri," she replied giving his hand a slight squeeze.

Jaxxon was a good two inches taller than Chris, medium build, jet black hair and bright blue eyes, a looker in his own right. He was clean cut, former Navy.

"Jaxxon, here is a retired, Navy Chief." Pride supplied, "Former M.P., now turned NCIS."

So, he has some skill. Merri thought deciding that was probably a good thing if they were going to be working in the field together.

 **A/N: So Brody is settled back in a home with a new partner. Will Jaxxon end up being a friend or threat? And what little gift will pop up next for our healing, marriage shy, Heroine? Yes, I really am going to do sappy things like that!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This chapter is mostly exposition and told through LaSalle's POV. I am borrowing, Jon Cryer's, NCIS Character, Dr. Cyril Taft for the Sub's Doctor. FYI: I no longer watch the "Mothership" as NCIS has been dubbed but I'm overly fascinated by seeing Cryer appear in something that isn't comedy based so I have seen the two episodes in which he appears as Gibbs' doctor.**

LaSalle's eyes wandered as he took in his new surroundings. The U.S.S. Alabama was the length of two football fields, seven stories tall and 3 lanes of Interstate traffic wide. It was more than impressive to say the least with all of its high tech toys and state of the art technology; a little cramped for space though. Now, he didn't consider himself to be an overly tall man, but at 5'9 he had to duck when walking into the pass-through to his assigned quarters.

Chris pondered at the idea of such small berthing arrangements. The beds were akin to twin sized aluminum coffins with one side open, stacked three high (of course the top bunk was his), and shared with two junior officers. There was a fold out desk and a fold-down sink. He still had to travel down the hall to use the shower and the head. What a luxury!

"Ya gotta be careful ya don't whack your head sitting up in bed," his designated escort, Ensign, Caleb Matthews said before he reached into the 5 inch storage bin underneath LaSalle's bunk and pulled out a stack of adult magazine's that included 6 month old editions of Playboy and Hustler. "In case you get a little lonely while you're here, we made sure that you have plenty of visuals and reading material for your enjoyment."

Chris felt a warm sprint of heat travel of his neck, naturally there would be some sort of hazing when you were the new guy, trapped aboard a submerged vessel with an all-male crew filled to the brim with raging testosterone.

"Ya married?" the Ensign asked. "Cause if ya are these'll come in really handy when you're thinkin' of the Missus."

Chris gave the younger man a slight smile, dodging the question. Explaining what he and Brody had at the moment was a bit complicated. Admittedly, he was a bit disappointed that she had turned down his _almost, she ruined the proposal_ but at the same time he knew they were in a good place _._ "Where ya from?"

"Tennessee. You?" the Ensign asked, a definite twang in voice that rivaled LaSalle's.

"Alabama."

"Alabama has a good team this year this from what I hear. Not that we get to watch much football around here, but we've got an impressive selection of DVDs."

"Great," Chris grinned, hoping he wouldn't have too much idle time on his hands. He was glad that he was being well received by the crew but the fact of the matter was he had a job to do. One of the men on this vessel had killed, Dr. Samantha Rogers and placed her body in one of the torpedo tubes. If he was counting and he was, he had 200 potential suspects to interview.

"We also have a rec room with a pool table, air hockey, foosball and gaming systems." The Ensign added, before politely excused himself giving the agent afloat a chance to settle in but before he went he reminded LaSalle that in order to complete his indoctrination that he needed to stop by and see the ship's doctor and sign off on his medical records.

"Will do." Chris was anxious to meet the man who had been dubbed at his technical advisor for the case, a doctor from the USS Daniel Webster, a renowned surgeon, now pulling duty on a run of the mill submarine.

* * *

Dr. Cyril Taft was an interesting man to say the least. His Buddy Holly style glasses only accented his exceptionally high IQ that provided him with top notch surgical skills. A leader in his field, he was well known in the military community for both his knowledge and comical bedside manner. He was so recognized in fact that Director Vance had personally asked to look after LaSalle and guide the agent in the medical jargon portion of his investigation in the death of a visiting female physician.

Taft looked at the young agent, curious to his well-being. He'd taken a particular interest in the young man's file, especially the events revolving around the stabbing that left agent comatose for 7 days. "You have a questionable medical history, Agent LaSalle."

Chris made a face. "Define Questionable."

Four months ago you were stabbed twice in the back and once in the side, puncturing your right lung and your liver, as well as severely damaging your left kidney. After two incidents of cardiac arrest, your surgical team put you in medically induced coma. "

"Actually, I slipped into the coma after my third surgery. Too much stress on the body," Chris corrected, wondering why the good doctor was testing him. Did the man seriously think he didn't know his own medical history?

"And yet you are here, stationed aboard a submarine of all places." Dr. Taft placed the file on the table. "If I were your physician, you would be sitting at desk back home for at least 6 months. I would have also completely removed that damaged kidney."

LaSalle's eyes shifted back and forth. "So, what are ya really trying ta say Doc?"

"I'm questioning whether or not you're fit for this assignment. Tell me, did you receive a physical before coming on board?"

"Saw my regular doctor two weeks ago. He cleared me to return full duty." There was a hint of brow beating on LaSalle's part. Obtaining permission to return to work from his family physician had been much easier than if he had gone through the nephrologist whom he was seeing for his menacing kidney.

"And according to your file, he wrote you a prescription for hydrocodone." Cyril challenged, "That must mean you're still having some pain, I take it?"

"Every once in a while," Chris shrugged, getting a bit irked over the never ending questions. Yes, he still had some residual pain, but it was nothing like it was when he'd first come home from the hospital. No longer did he walk around with pain medication stuffed in his pocket, swallowing them like candy. His doctor back home had written the prescription for exactly 10 pills for use in the event of an occasional flare up. Ten that was all.

"Did Director Vance review this report?" Cyril tossed out trying to impress the agent with the fact that he knew the Director due to his dealings with Agent Gibbs.

Chris rubbed his chin. He assumed that Director Vance knew his current medical status since he had been the one to order the agent moved out of New Orleans for safety reasons, following the stabbing. LaSalle wouldn't go into detail about why the director had sent him here, although with the quack physician's attention to detail, he probably already knew.

"Oh well, If it's all the same, I'd like to do some tests." Cyril replied with genuine concern. "I'll draw some blood run it through the lab, do a complete cardiac work up and then I'd like to check the function of that left kidney with an ultrasound."

LaSalle raised an eyebrow. "Ya don't have much ta do. Do ya?"

"On the contrary, Agent LaSalle you have given me plenty." Cyril placed his hand on the agent's shoulder, leaning in a little more than he needed to. Studying the biological workings of Christopher LaSalle and assisting in a murder investigation was more than intriguing. It was downright exciting.

Somewhat bemused by the doctor, Chris flashed his trademark grin as he stepped back. "Well, then I'll make a deal with ya. You help me solve this case, and when the time comes, I'll let you be the one to remove my bad kidney."

"Deal," Cyril quipped pulling away to extend his hand.

* * *

After things had finally settled down and his _'_ _indoc'_ was complete, Chris finally had a chance to sit down and leaf through his case file on Samantha Rogers. At the age of 37, she was a beauty; long dark raven hair, big brown eyes, high cheek bones and flawless skin. Not one wrinkle from what he could tell. She was perfect or had been perfect until someone had bludgeoned her and placed her body with a powerful explosive, meant to splatter her breathtaking beauty all over the Atlantic.

As he continued to look at her picture, he couldn't help but notice how much she resembled Brody. In every shape and form, Samantha Rogers was dead ringer and could have almost been Merri's sister. Samantha looked more like Brody, than the agent's deceased paternal twin, Emily.

Distracted, by the picture, LaSalle reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. Not that he had service on the ship, but he still access to some of his apps and all of his pictures and videos. Opening the icon, to his personal photos he started to scroll through, pausing at the ones he liked the best, a sad whistle smile coming to his face. God, how he missed everything about her, he thought recalling how her hair tickled his nose when she was pressed up against his chest, her soft silkily skin, pressed up against his, the way she felt when he was inside of her with her lions, tightly wrapped around his flesh. It was going to be long 12 weeks, he sighed feeling his body react strongly to his thoughts about kissing her luscious lips before he ran his own down her slender, taut, nekked form, her supple breasts presenting her nipples, ripe just for him.

Well hell! Maybe at some point those girly magazines would come in handy after all? _Damn_ he cursed inwardly sensing he was going to need a lot of cold showers before this was all said and done. The woman was thousands of miles away and yet, she still exerted a power over him that brought him to his knees with just a simple thought. He was going to need to find a way to separate her from his lovely victim, Samantha Rogers, otherwise he would never be able to solve the case.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I don't have much to say except, coming up is gift number 2!**

 **3 Weeks later…**

 **Gift #2**

Brody woke up screaming. This time it had been an especially hellish nightmare, not the typical kind where she was stuck in the alleyway with Chris bleeding out in her arms, but a torturous, gruesome, night terror where Fod had both of them, trussed up like hanging dead sides of cattle waiting to be cut up by the butcher. A weird, warped scenario where Fod served as executioner making her watch as he tore the stitches and sutures out LaSalle's wounded back with a fine tipped blade and then reopened all of the incisions before slitting the agent's throat from ear to ear. Blood trickled out from the wounds, slithering its way down Chris' pale skin, his cold vacant eyes, fixated and staring right at her. All the while, she hung there, helpless only to watch as the man she would gladly trade her own life for was slain.

Well, that was different, sort of random in fact. Normally her nightmare's consisted of Chris being killed in the alleyway by the minion, not Fod, himself. Not that she wanted to over analyze it, but she wondered why it had changed. More importantly, she wondered why the dreams had come back. She hadn't had one since she and Chris were in Spain.

 _Don't knock it, Merri. Three weeks with no nightmares is a new record._

Sitting up, she clicked on the lamp that sat on the nightstand and reached for Chris' pillow, curling herself around it. Normally, he was here to comfort her when the dreams hit, gently kissing her temple, whispering soothing words in her ear as she trembled in his arms. But tonight, she was alone, no one but herself to calm her fears.

Not so alone, really she did have Daisy who had managed to take over Chris' side of the bed.

"You can do this," she sighed trying to convince her wild beating heart as she ran her hand down Daisy's soft dark black and tan coat. The dog moved slightly thumping her tail at her human's attention until Cade's dog, Rufus, began to scratch at the glass on the French Doors. Automatically, Daisy's ears perked up, as she let out a low but soft growl.

Well, Crap. If Rufus was out here wanting in the bedroom then Cade probably heard her screaming and come out too. Most likely he would be waiting in the kitchen to see if she was going to come out. She had to hand it to Cade, he had really stepped up while Chris had been gone, appointing himself her protector and general caretaker. Brody supposed it had something to do with some sort of promise he had made to Chris and although she didn't really need anyone to look out for her, she appreciated the gesture and let the man feel like he had a purpose.

Pushing the pillow aside, she sat up, slinging her feet over the edge of the mattress where she sat for several seconds before pushing to her feet. As she stood, she tugged on the hem of Chris' t-shirt. It was just short enough that her panties were peeking out. She would have to fetch her robe before waltzing out to the kitchen to see Mr. Cade.

"Morning Miss Brody!" Cade beamed with the trademark LaSalle grin as she emerged from the bedroom clad in a short knee length floral robe that she had bought right after she had decided to move in.

"Morning," she scoffed quietly. "It's 4:15, you shouldn't be up."

"I like tuh get up early," the older LaSalle replied trying to sound truthful, "Get my chores done before goin' tuh work."

"Liar," Brody quipped as she went to the cupboard and reached for her favorite mug. "Thanks for making coffee by the way."

Cade leaned over the beige laminate counter, watching her fill her cup. "You have another one of those dreams again, where Chris dies?"

"Yep," she said wrapping both hands around her mug before drawing it to her lips. "So when are you going to stop calling me Miss Brody?" she would rather talk about something else other than the need for subconscious to slip out and wake up everyone in house.

Cade circled around the counter reaching for his own cup. "That's easy, when you marry my baby brother."

Brody let out a long sigh, shaking her head. She hadn't said anything to Cade about their decision to wait until the time was right but no doubt he knew what his younger brother had been planning. The two of them were as thick as thieves. In an effort to make up for the five years that they had lost, Chris told Cade just about everything. "He told you how he was going to purpose. Didn't he?"

"He sure did," Cade replied pulling the sugar bowl to him and spooning in two large teaspoons into his cup.

"So are you going to tell me?" After she had botched the proposal, Chris had refused to tell her what he had planned, but Cade he just might…

"Nope, sworn tuh secrecy." Cade took a swallow of his warm drink. "I will tell you that he loves you though and he'd do anything in the world for you."

"I know that." Brody lowered her head slightly, a warm grin sliding across her face. Despite her reservations she was a lucky woman. "I just have a few things I need to work out first."

Cade set his cup down and placed his large hands on her shoulders. "For the record so does he. My baby brother might claim to be a big talker and a people person, but deep down nearly dyin' It gets to him, gets to him real bad sometimes."

"That's because he keeps it buried inside." Brody said as Cade crossed over to the opposite side of the kitchen. "Me, I just scream, let it all out for the whole world to hear."

"Yes, you do, Miss Brody, Yes, you do." Cade chuckled before whistling for Rufus and taking his coffee to the bedroom.

* * *

Thanks to her more than annoying nightmare, Brody arrived at the office earlier than usual and not so surprising, Pride was already cooking. The smell of hickory bacon and fresh biscuits wafting from the kitchen guided her to the Senior Agent.

"Mornin' Brody! You're here early." He said with a hearty smile that lit up the room. That was Pride. No matter the situation, the man was always positive. He'd taught Chris to be that way too.

She reached into the basket that sat before and plucked a piece of biscuit into her mouth. "I had a feeling that you'd been cookin' early so I figured I get here before it's all gone."

"Good thing, because Jaxxon and Patton, nearly beat ya to it," Pride grinned over his shoulder before turning his attention back to his sizzling bacon.

The newest, but temporary, member of their team walked in professionally dressed in long sleeve shirt and tie with dark slacks. "Good morning Agent Brody," he smiled with a wink. Over the last couple of weeks, Jaxxon had started to become comfortable with Midwest transplant.

"Agent Rowe," she nodded cordially as Pride hollered out for Jaxxon to grab a plate and inquired about Patton's whereabouts.

"Triple P is right here," the computer whiz quipped as he wheeled his way up to the table to where his prepared plate already sat, waiting for him to greedily devour, the Senior Agents down home cooking.

"Got something to show you, after breakfast," Patton said in between mouthfuls. "I think you're going to like it."

"Can't wait." Brody rolled her eyes playfully as Pride delivered her a plate full of two golden brown biscuits, bacon, and fresh grits. If she ate all of this, she was going to need some serious cardio time in the gym. Comfort food had always been her vice and living in New Orleans made it so easy to just indulge especially when she was feeling lonely and longing for Chris.

When she had finished and the dishes had been done, Brody followed Patton into his den of technology.

"Whatcha got?" She asked placing a hand on his shoulder as he brought up what looked to be some sort of sonar map with a series of blips.

Patton grinned easily as he reached to center monitor touch screen and circled one of the blips with his fingers creating a red circle around it. "I know it's not much, but I got a buddy of mine to do me a solid and tap me into the black box from the U.S.S Alabama. I now have access to all of its recordings, locations and deepest secrets. This little blip here is LaSalle. Anytime you wanna know exactly where he is just come to me and I'll fix you up."

"Patton you are a genius," Brody gave his shoulder a firm but warm squeeze. If she so desired, she would now have access to all of the notes that Chris was sending regarding his case. It wasn't as nice as having personal chat time or talking to him person but at least she would have some connection to him from a work perspective.

"Don't forget, I'm also quite the romantic," he quipped as he brought up a video with a frozen image of Chris' boyish looking face. "I'll give you couple of minutes," he added, backing away from his workstation so that Brody could have some privacy.

She waited until he was gone before clicking the mouse to start the video, her eyes fixated on her lover. She could only see him from the neck up, but that fine. All she needed really was to look into his gorgeous dark blue orbs and hear his sexy southern accent and she would melt. As he spoke she watched the movement of his mouth and rugged jawline. She could tell by his five O'clock shadow and a slight hinge in his voice that it was late in the evening. He sounded tired, like he'd been burning the midnight oil, trying connect the inner workings of a case.

 _Hey Brody,_

 _I know Patton told you that you were going tuh watch my notes from the case, but first I just wanted you tuh hear me and see that I'm doing ok, cause I know that you worry._ _I don't have much time and in fact, Pat'll have tuh delete this as soon as you're through. watchin' it._

 _I love you, Michigan._

 _Alabama out._

"And I love you, " she said softly as the screen went black, automatically deleting itself from the mainframe server. She would never know how Chris had managed to pull that off or how Patton knew that today of all days would she would wind up having the nightmare from hell, needing to physically see that her partner the man she loved more than life itself was safe, but she was extremely grateful. Now, she would be able to go about the rest of her day without the nagging little twinge in her stomach that said her world was about to shatter, the constant anxiety that made her worry about losing Chris. He was fine.


	10. Chapter 10

**Week 6**

Another nightmare had Brody up at the crack of dawn and searching for some relief. Now that they were half way through with Director Vance's mandatory separation she began to dream about Chris coming home. Oh, the dream would always start out pleasant enough but always ended up the same way. She had also been strangely drawn back to the dark days when she watched over him while he was in the coma, never knowing whether he was going to live or die or if he'd ever wake back up.

Luckily however the unwanted vision had occurred after Cade had already gone to work so at least she had saved herself the embarrassment of having him hear her scream like a crazy person who couldn't be comforted. Even with sleeping pills and anxiety medication she was unable to find peace. It was beginning to get downright discouraging. Was she destined go through the rest of her life like this? She hoped for Chris' sake and the sake of any future children they might have that eventually they would subside.

The patio café of the Royal street coffee company wasn't the place she needed to be this morning as she sat sipping her coffee and nibbling on a maple scone. Torturous was the only word Brody could come up with as she watched a happy couple across from her share a tender moment. She wanted to look away but there something about them that drew her to them. The man was looking at the woman so intently that Brody could see that his heart was about to explode with admiration and devotion. There was laughter in the woman's voice that may the agent certain that the couple were completely head or heels for each other.

They really love each other she thought averting her eyes as the man flicked his gaze toward her. A momentary feeling of embarrassment flooded her as she realized she had been caught staring but she just couldn't help it. Everywhere she went she was surrounded by happy couples in love. She was half of a happy couple she reasoned, trying to convince herself that her heart wasn't aching for the other half of her happy union.

Damn, she missed Chris, his strong hands knotted with hers, his brooding sexy, stare that he engaged in whenever he was contemplating a crucial move, the way his arm felt when he draped around her, and the determined look he got when they were in the middle of the case. She missed everything about him.

Today of all days was especially hard. Today was Chris' birthday. Weeks ago, she had gone out and purchased the best hunting rifle she could afford, the one she knew he had been eying before being sentenced to a voyage to the bottom sea, but it didn't make her feel any less like a horrible fiancée. If she would have been smart she would have thought to have bought it before they left for Spain and given it to him.

Chris had obviously planned in advance to find to little ways to remind her that she was loved (though she suspected that he had enlisted the help of Cade and possibly Sebastian) why hadn't she?

Last week, she had received a frilly looking shower cap with a note that said Chris knew that she was working on her fear of water with Dr. Sheridan now (which she was). The week before that he had arranged for her favorite soothing oil to be sent to her so that she could rub it on the back of her neck when she started to feel the anxiety attacks coming on, and before that, a dream catcher to trap the nightmares. Every week there was something and all though most of them were just little whatnots they were meaningful and significant to her overall well-being as to where her PTSD was concerned. He was still taking care of her without actually be there.

Her _PTSD_ she droned as picking up the tablet she had borrowed from Patton so she could access the latest set of LaSalle's notes on the case. Even though they were straightforward and somewhat impersonal she enjoyed going through them trying to capture a feeling of what Chris was seeing from an investigator's view. He had eliminated most of the crew as possible suspects, winding his choices to just a few all of which seemed to have valid reasons to have issues with the female doctor. Now all he had to do was connect the dots. Personally, she was learning toward the L.T. Commander who had family ties to a white supremacist cult and the Lieutenant JG that Rogers had informed would most likely be put out of the Navy due to intolerance to gluten.

Her cell phone came to life with a text from Sebastian. Hopefully this meant he had something on the new case they were working.

Eyes wide with wonder she stepped into the lab for find it decorated with colorful streamers and helium party balloons. Sebastian was sitting at his computer, a paper party hat on his head, and a party blower in his hand.

"What's all this?" Brody brushed one lone straggling balloon away with her hand, making her way to the forensic scientist.

"It's a birthday party for LaSalle," Sebastian reached underneath his desk and brought out a round 9 inch cake box, flipping up the lid. The words _Happy Birthday LaSalle_ were piped in blue in the center, with Mario characters and plastic bananas adorning the edges.

A Donkey Kong Cake? Brody raised an eyebrow before dipping her finger into the ruffled edging of blue buttercream frosting and popping it into her mouth. Although the gesture was sweet, the cake resembled something that a nine-year-old would have chosen. But then again that was Sebastian. Poor misguided soul, his heart was always in the right place, if not the best when it came to caring about his friends.

"But he isn't here." Brody said flatly as Loretta appeared with a box of plastic cutlery and paper plates.

"That's beside the point." The medical examiner smiled largely showing off her festive mood. "Just because Christopher isn't with us right now doesn't mean we can't celebrate. We all know how he loves to go all out for the holidays, so why should his birthday be any different?"

"She has a point." Pride added appearing with Percy in tow.

Brody put on a false smile as Loretta stuck a lone candle in the center of the cake and lit it before breaking out in her best rendition of _Happy Birthday._ So not only were they throwing a party for her absent partner they were also signing to him, not that she minded in the least.

"Merri since Christopher isn't here will you do the honors?" Loretta asked hinting that the agent blow out the candle as Pride's arm fell across her shoulder.

"Don't forget to make a wish."

Brody closed her eyes before gently blowing out the waving flame. When she opened them, Jaxxon was standing in front her, where Loretta had been standing, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Did it come true?"

"Not yet, but I'll let you know when it does," Brody scoffed picking up on his hint of arrogance. Over the last couple of weeks she hadn't missed the looks he'd been giving her. They were the same looks she had received from Chris when they first met. Like LaSalle, Jaxxon seemed harmless for the most part, and just looking for a friend.

* * *

"You're all set agent LaSalle. Tablet's all fixed." Somehow in the middle of the ocean trapped beneath the sea with no WI-FI connection whatsoever, the agent's tablet had managed to pick up a virus that was happily eating its way through the files he had accumulated on the submarine's personnel. Blessedly, everything of importance had already been downloaded to the black box for permanent storage.

Chris thanked the computer tech that helped him send his personal message to Brody a couple of earlier. The young man had risked a lot helping him send an unauthorized video to his…uh…fiancée? The word sounded strange especially considering the way he and Brody had left things but what else was he supposed to call her? Partner didn't sound right anymore, outside of professional references.

As the young sailor left, Dr. Cyril Taft stood in the doorway of the agent's stateroom with a small wrapped package in hand.

"What's this?"

"A gift between friends." Cyril replied pushing the package into the agent's hands.

Chris looked at the quirky doctor skeptically. "This wouldn't have anything to do with it being my birthday would it doc?" Obviously the noted surgeon had taken it upon himself to go poking around in Chris' personal medical records again.

Cyril shrugged, "Not really, but who else on this floating tin can is going to get you a gift?" Some people were starting to see the agent as a threat, while others just viewed him as an extended part of the crew. Either way he certainly wasn't going to be celebrating with any of them.

"Good point." Chris tore off the brown paper wrapping revealing a handsome but three-quarters filled bottle of twenty-five year old, Kentucky Bourbon.

"It's been opened."

Cyril produced two shot glasses, handing one to Chris. "Yeah, I just don't like to drink alone."

"Neither do I," Chris quipped flashing his trademark grin. He filled the glasses and the two men toasted, tossing their glasses back. The dark amber liquid burned, warming the homesick agent's chest as it went down. Although he wouldn't admit he was starting to suffer from cabin fever; being stuck on a floating tube with no access to sunlight or natural darkness was driving him stir crazy to say the least.

"Now, that's good stuff."

"An Agent by the name of Gibbs gave it to me." Cyril picked up the bottle and refilled their glasses. "So tell me agent LaSalle, how does one deal with the nightmares that come you've been stabbed three times by the person who tortured your partner."

Chris picked his glass his eyes narrowing. "Really doc? It is my birthday."

"Indulge me a little." Cyril said, swallowing his second shot.

"I got a good woman who loves me. We take care of our issues together."

"You talk to her about it?"

"We talk about her issues mainly and somehow mine don't seem to matter. I put everything I've got into her and just keep moving forward."

Cyril shook his head, thinking of the son he and his wife had lost, "Sounds like a lucky lady."

"I'm the lucky one, believe me." Chris started to down his drink when Ensign Matthews walked into the small berthing quarters.

"Agent LaSalle, Commander Williams, requests your presence on the bridge."

"I'll be right there." Chris set his glass down, scooting past the uniformed junior officer, leaving Cyril holding the bottle.

"You like to drink alone, Ensign?"

"No sir."

"Well then hop to it. Bottoms up."

* * *

A pair of calculating eyes watched from across the bridge as LaSalle spoke to the Executive Officer, Commander Trenton Williams about a recent statement he'd given in regards to Samantha Rogers. The two evidently had known one another from college and had history.

The man who brought Samantha Rogers to her death, still couldn't believe that they had taken on an Agent Afloat in order to solve her murder. He had expected that the sub would have been grounded, detained until authorities were satisfied. But this… This made things easier, with only one man investigating instead of a team. He could easily dispose of the agent and being that they were out to sea it would months before anyone would be able to pursue the murders.

He stepped away, lowering his head as LaSalle briefly made eye-contact. For now, it would be best if he kept things low key. He still needed to get to know this agent afloat a little bit better before making his move. He'd already gone so far as to tamper with the NCIS Agent's tablet, but came up with nothing. He needed to make sure that the agent wasn't already on to him, so for now he would wait.

 **A/N: Oh...is our killer stalking LaSalle? And what about Jaxxon? Will Brody set him straight on his flirting?**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Admittedly I was in the mood to liven up things a bit but managed to retain the softer, emotional side of things which will set off a basis for a lack of communication due to separation between our super couple.**

 **New Orleans**

Brody held her weapon trained as she and Jaxxon entered the run down, decrepitated plantation style house where their suspect supposedly lived worked as handyman. Why it was these older homes were always left in shambles just calling out to any vagrant who might need a halfway decent roof to place over his head?

She didn't know, but the house was creepy to say the least. It looked like it was straight out of the horror flick: _The Skeleton Key._

"I thought you were taking the back," she whispered loudly to Jaxxon who stayed directly behind her.

"Safety in numbers," Jaxxon grunted, keeping his weapon pointed over her shoulder.

It was just the two of them she reasoned knowing that Chris would have handled the scenario differently (not that Jaxxon was wrong in his thinking it was just different). His moves weren't the same and she had trouble understanding his non-verbal language, specifically because he wasn't Christopher LaSalle. She could clear a room with Chris in her sleep. Brody knew her partner so well that she could tell what he was going to do before he signaled to her.

They pressed through the entry way and the parlor; no sign of their suspect until the balding thirty- something man wound around a wall that lead to the kitchen.

"GUN!" Jaxxon's voice went off in her ear tearing through her every nerve.

"I'm aware of that!" she hissed, jumping to the side the suspect took a shot. Brody recovered quickly and shot back, her bullet striking the wall where the perpetrator had been standing. Moving to her right, she felt the pressure of Jaxxon's forearm as he accidently collided with her shoving her back to the ground.

"I got this!" he shouted, regaining his footing before taking off after the suspect.

Brody let out a heated growl, jumping to her feet. Through the living room she saw Jaxxon hit the kitchen door in pursuit of the suspect. Doubling back she bolted through the front door only to be met by long steel tire iron, coming down hard on her left forearm.

A second suspect had been standing the porch waiting and watching.

The Glock flew out of Brody's hand and bounced as the second suspect took another swing. This time however, Brody was able to duck out of the way grabbing at the tire iron. A move which she would sorely regret.

Her assailant was an average sized but muscular man with biceps that could rival any local body builder. Refusing to let go, Brody held her ground until she felt her foot catch in a rotted out piece of wood, her ankle twisting. She was no match for the oncoming wood planks, going down face first. Spotting her weapon, she made a desperate effort to crawl toward it.

Her scrambling fingers had just touched the grip when the suspect brought the blunt end of the tire iron straight down on her hand, crushing the small bones above her knuckles. She swallowed back a scream of anguish as the gun curled around her fingers. Adrenaline flowing, Brody rolled onto her back before firing two precise shots into the suspect's chest and watched him topple down the porch steps.

Her heart was still beating wildly in her chest, when Jaxxon appeared with the baldheaded suspect in handcuffs, his normally rugged face a mixture of both surprise and concern as he looked at the dead man who was sprawled across the broken porch steps.

"What the hell the happened to you?" he asked, keeping a firm hand on the suspect's bicep.

Brody pushed up onto her palm and let out a painful hiss. Doubtless, her hand was broken. "What happened to me?" she repeated bitterly. "You didn't clear the back of the house and Hulk Hogan over there came at me with tire iron!"

She watched his face pale before he shoved the remaining suspect into the back of the car. "Jesus, I'm sorry," he swallowed before asking the cliché question, "Is there anything I can I do?"

"Yeah, you can get me LaSalle back," she grimaced holding her injured hand.

* * *

"You okay, B?" Percy asked softly as she came through the curtain that separated her fellow agent from the rest of the patients in Emergency Room.

"You mean other than having a broken hand and a sprained ankle?" Though she had calmed down somewhat, Brody couldn't help but become flippant with the younger agent. With her hand in a cast and her ankle tightly wrapped in an ace bandage, she would be out of the field for least 6 weeks: six long boring weeks with nothing to do except sit at home and pine over Chris. The only bright spot in that scenario was that her Bama Boy would home in four.

"How's Jaxxon?" she asked changing her tone. Now that she'd had time to think about it, she felt bad for the way she had snapped at the new agent. He hadn't really done anything wrong other than stay at her side. Hell, she and Chris had cleared a house many a time by just entering through one door. It was really unfair to say that Jaxxon was at fault for not realizing that there had been a second suspect lurking in the shadows.

"He's with Pride interrogating your suspect." Percy replied watching the older agent swallow back emotions of frustration. Though she wasn't a touchy feely type of person, Sonja felt for her friend. "Listen B, if it makes you feel any better Patton's working on trying to get a message to LaSalle. He said he can go through the Red Cross and they can send it through Morse Code or something." She was kidding about the Morse Code, but the computer tech had secured a message to be delivered within the next 24 hours.

Brody's face twisted slightly, though she understood the reason behind the kind the gesture it was pointless to let LaSalle worry when he had no possible means of contacting her. Whatever message he would receive wouldn't contain the necessary details from sending the deployed agent into an all out tailspin, taking his attention off of his case.

* * *

 **1 Day Later…**

Chris was in the middle of interrogating his prime suspect when a young sailor dressed in dungarees entered the conference room and handing him a sheet of paper that had been folded into thirds. "Agent LaSalle this just came through for you."It's from the American Red Cross."

"Red Cross?" Chris glanced at the Senior Chief who had been assigned to sit in and excused himself from the room to where Cyril was waiting for him outside.

"Red Cross message?" the chipper doctor asked recognizing the familiar seal on the letterhead. Cyril rose to his feet and let out a sigh. His years in the Navy had taught him that those types of messages were usually never anything good, especially if they were able to get it to a member serving aboard a submarine. "You weren't expecting a baby were you?" he quipped clapping his hand on the agent's shoulder. Over the last several weeks he'd actually come to care about the younger man and found a sense of camaraderie that sprang up from discussing their dealings with the case. He rather enjoyed conversing over things that had nothing to do with his stuffy medical colleagues or patients. In fact, he found the investigative work the two were engaging in to be rather exciting.

"No," LaSalle felt a pit start to grow in his stomach as he read the message. It was vague to say the least.

 _Brody injured detaining a suspect. Non-life threatening._

 _Triple P._

"There's a word limit to those things you know. The important details are always missing," Cyril said gently as he glanced at the paper and watched the younger man let out a tense breath. "Non-life threatening is a good sign."

Somehow that fact didn't make LaSalle feel any better. Dozens of scenarios were racing through his mind. After everything they'd been through with Fod, he could only envision the worse. The words non-life threatening meant nothing. Brody could have lost a limb or been maimed in some god awful way for all he knew.

"I need tuh go home." LaSalle said through a determined breath, which wasn't meant to be verbalized. The possibility of getting off of a submarine was zero to none, not even the cases where sailors were informed of a death in the family were they permitted to go home outside of being dock in a port. It was just too dangerous.

"That's understandable, but just how do you intend to do that?" Cyril asked carefully in his best doctorly fashion. They were still four weeks out from their Southwestern Asian port, one month to be exact.

"By catching uh killer," Chris retorted even though he knew there was only one way off of the submerged vessel and that was to wait until they got to port. It was going to be a long last few weeks he concluded crumpling the note and shooting it into the nearest trash can before he stalked back inside the conference room to vent his new found frustration all over his suspect. He had the circumstantial evidence to nail the bastard and another one of his shipmates but that wouldn't be enough to convict. He needed a confession and the results of the man's DNA which would be hard to get on a submarine. There was no doubt, Director Vance would make him wait out the results once they got to port and given Brody's new situation it was time he didn't have.

"Ya mind givin' us a minute, Chief?" he tossed out. "Me and Petty Officer, Gomez, here need to discuss somethin' in private."

Being a member of the good ol' boys club the chief nodded and left without so much as a word closing the door behind him so that he wouldn't be privy to whatever unconventional actions the agent had in mind.

* * *

 **New Orleans**

Cade tapped lightly on the glass of the French doors that separated Chris' bedroom from the living room. "You got a visitor here to see ya." he told Brody who was propped up on the bed with a pillow underneath her sprained foot and two more at her back, with a third across her lap to hold her tablet. "But I can send him away if ya like."

Brody's brow furrowed, a quizzical smile forming on her lips. "Who is it?"

"It's that Jaxxon guy." Cade answered in protective brotherly tone that said that he would kick the man's ass if Brody would allow him.

"Let him in." Brody answered, setting her tablet on the nightstand as Cade nodded still a might reluctant to let the man who was at fault for his future sister in law getting injured into the bedroom that she shared with Chris.

"Cade, it's ok, really." she added regretting the fact that she was wearing just a tank top that was just a tad small for her abundant bosom and skimpy black pajama bottoms.

Seconds later, Jaxxon appeared in the doorway with a life size teddy bear in hand and box of fresh pralines. "I've got flowers coming too," he stammered placing the oversized bear in the empty spot on the bed that Daisy normally occupied. "I just didn't know what kind you liked."

Brody smiled largely taking the pralines from his hand and set them on the pillow across her lap. "This isn't necessary." His first half a dozen apologies to her voicemail had been fine.

Easing himself onto the edge of the bed, Jaxxon kept at a respectful distance. "I uh...feel really bad about what happened the other day. You're right, I should have cleared the back of the house."

It was evident to Brody that the agent felt more than guilty about what had happened. The man was refusing to look at her. She needed to do something. Sliding her hand across the bed, she gently allowed her fingers to brush over the top of his. "It wasn't your fault. Sometimes these things just happen." she said retracting her hand as soon as she had his attention." But just for record, if you really want to make up for what happened, you can buy me a latte everyday until you go back to the Carolinas. Vanilla with extra cinnamon."

"Anything for you, Lovely Agent Brody." Jackson quipped before pushing to his feet and bowing before her in a comical manner, that had her nearly in a fit of giggles and put Cade on edge from where he sat at the computer, keeping a watchful eye.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: This chapter was getting a little long so I had to cut off in a weird place. But I tried not to make it a cliffy. Oh yeah, we're one more step closer to bringing LaSalle home!**

 **A/N: Thank you Whatshername for the nice review on the last chapter. It's nice to know you are still around.**

LaSalle stood with his hands pressed up against the shower wall, letting the warm water run off his aching bare back. It was tangled in knots (that and his left kidney was flaring up again). The stress of getting the Red Cross message about Merri, then going ape shit all over his suspect, only to find out that the man was an accomplice, a bystander ordered to keep watch while the real culprit bludgeoned his victim to death. His actions had unnerved him just a little bit, reminding of someone he used to be, someone that he promised Pride he would never become again. But after two weeks his efforts had been effective.

It hadn't taken much for Petty Officer Gomez to open up and sing once LaSalle had painted a picture of Leavenworth and the possibility of Gomez's family having to live with the fact that the sailor they were so proud of for serving his country was going to get the death penalty.

But damn, Chris hadn't expected the man to hand over evidence that implicated Captain Douglas Fairgate. The god dang Captain of the submarine! A decorated sailor and war hero, fuck, how he was supposed to deal with that? He couldn't even put Gomez in protective custody without notifying the chain of the command and with two weeks left until they hit port he was stuck.

Did someone say, _Crimson Tide (The 1995 screen version)?_ Because if they did he certainly wouldn't have signed up for this. Oh wait, he was forced into this. His only hope now was the X.O. He hoped to hell that the man wasn't involved and would play the part of Denzel Washington and step up to do the right thing; relieve the Captain of his duty. If not, chances were he was a dead man.

He wished that Pride were here. Hell, he wished that anybody was here. With no backup and no way to communicate with to the outside world without going to the bridge, he would have to lie low in order to protect himself and Gomez. Thankfully, he had been able to download Gomez's statement and the new found patterns of evidence into the sub's black box. No matter what happened the evidence was safe and would be found when the routine transmissions of the submarine's activity were sent.

But Shit! This was way, way above his paygrade. He would almost rather face Fod again than to have to take on the Captain of a Ship. Even when the Captain was supposedly standing on neutral ground, allowing them to freely work a case, it was always tough to present a member of the crew as a suspect much less a killer.

Chris had to wonder what Captain Fairgate's next move would be, given the fact that he'd more than allowed LaSalle to question and interrogate the petty officer. A nervous gnawing sensation started to form in his gut as the lights suddenly went out, trapping him the pitch black darkness. He would have loved to think that it was someone playin' tricks, but he knew better.

Captain Fairgate had just made his first move. A sick trickle started up his spine, the darkness triggering a flashback of Fod's minion coming up behind him and plunging a Bowie Knife into his back. He could hardly tease Brody about being crazy anymore for having them. Truth was he'd become quite uncomfortable at having the unknown at his back and shuddered every time he felt a possible threat but he was never going to tell Merri that.

Chris shut off the water as alarms started to sound and reached for the towel he had hung over the shower door. If alarms were going off then the entire sub was under some kind of threat (a threat from within). Warning lights started to flash and an announcement was made for all non-essential crew to return to their berths. The executive order was issued that the bridge was to be secured. Fairgate was about to go on a hunting trip…

His black t-shirt number 2 as he referred to it, clung to his damp skin in his haste to dress and find Gomez. He'd left him in the care of the Senior Chief who in turn confined to man to his quarters. If Chris was lucky he could get to his star witness before Fairgate did.

He kept his weapon ready but close to his hip as he moved about the darkened corridors, illuminated only by a sparse amount of light cast about by the flashing red light. That damn blaring, grinding noise reminded him of the fire alarms from when he was in grade school, were so sharp that he literally felt like his ears would start to bleed from the pulsing force that had started to pound in his head. Sailors were passing him at alarming rates in order to get to their duty stations for the mandatory secure and place.

Chris hoped against all hope that this was just some sort of drill and that by the time he reached Gomez the man would be alive and well, bored out his damn mind and daydreaming about the unauthorized deal the agent had promised him for offering up the evidence against the Captain. But no such luck. Nearing the petty officer's quarter, Chris saw two bright flashes followed by the familiar sound of popping. If the nagging voice in his head was correct, he was going to have engaged the shooter and was most likely going to find his witness dead.

"NCIS!" Arms out straight and locked he committed to firing until the other man with the gun swung around and shot first. LaSalle's eyes widened at the sight of the Senior Chief as he pulled to the right, desperately wishing he had Kevlar. It was a dangerous gamble to engage in a gunfight aboard a submarine, for at least a dozen reasons, one being that no matter what the agent had no way out. He was trapped.

"Drop yer weapon!" Squeezing down on the trigger, Chris returned fire, two shots, hitting the larger man in the shoulder. It didn't kill him but it was enough to incapacitate. Moving slowly, he kept his weapon trained on the Chief as he peeked in on Gomez. The man appeared to still be breathing. But could Chris keep the keep him alive along enough so that his testimony would prove valid against the Captain?

* * *

"Doc! I need your help!" Chris and another sailor supported Gomez between them. While another pair of men dragged the Chief into the infirmary. "He's bleedin' real bad. I need ya to keep him alive." Chris shifted his gaze to the Senior Chief. "This one here's debatable."

"Don't matter," the Chief smirked craning his neck as the corpsmen attending to his wound tried to make him lie flat, "You ain't ever getting off this boat."

Long after the alarms stopped, Chris stood at the door weapon, contemplating. This whole man all stations event had been set up so that the Chief could eliminate Gomez. God only knew what kind of turn things would take next, but he needed to be ready. He shuddered when the sound of a fist beating up against the metal casing came.

"Agent LaSalle. It's S3 Jenkins." Jenkins was the operations officer, the next in line if something should happen to both the Captain and the X.O.

LaSalle quieted the nagging little voice that told him not to open the door, but wasn't able quell the growing pit in his stomach. A nervous lump formed in his throat as he took a step back, allowing the officer access.

Jenkins was alone. "The Captain wants to see you. It seems we have problem. I need you to come with me."

Chris holstered his weapon at his side, briefly wondering why the third in command hadn't questioned his need to have pulled it. Falling into step, he allowed the Officer to lead him to the bridge, where Fairgate was waiting.

From where he stood, Chris could see a body on the ground, the face covered by a jacket. "Who's that?"

"The X.O." Fairgate answered, with hands clasped behind his back. "It seems he was under the impression that he needed to relieve me from duty. You wouldn't know anything about that now? Would you Agent LaSalle?"

Chris was in no position to be answering questions as he was roughly tugged down the corridor to the berthing quarters. The sub didn't have a brig, so if they were going to confine him it would have to be in one of the open rooms. The X.O.'s quarters maybe? Nope. A door opened to a small closet of sorts, with just a single folding chair inside.

A pair of hands pressed on his shoulders forcing him to sit in the hard metal chair.

"You ever want to see the light of day again? You're gunna tell us where that statement from Gomez is!" The S3 hissed, getting into the agent's face. "Otherwise when this boat docks, there'll be more than one dead body for your NCIS buddies to process."

Chris' face contorted reflecting his sarcastic side. "Well now that would defeat the purpose wouldn't it? Cause if anything happens to me or my family that evidence it'll go viral. He was no prodigy when it came to technology but over the years, he'd learned a thing or two from Patton about securing evidence over the Internet. He wasn't sure of how viral the evidence would actually go but he had made certain that it would eventually get into the hands of NCIS, (specifically, Patton's).

"Not before you and the X.O. die trying to stop Gomez from murdering Senior Chief Wolicki," the S3 countered.

"Which will open an investigation because you ain't never gunna find that statement."

* * *

 **2 Days later**

"Thanks for the ride, Cade."

Brody stepped into field office dressed in a pair of jeans, a v-neck t-shirt and sporting a bulkly looking walking boot. The boot as unattractive, but afforded her the freedom to move about, more importantly it got her out of the house and back to independence. Well as independent as one could be with a broken hand and sprained ankle.

"Hey, B. What's up?" Percy quipped curious to what had brought the injured agent back in when she still had nearly four weeks left of convalescent leave on the books.

"I need to see Patton," she said briefly resting on the corner of the younger agent's desk.

"He's back there in his cyber cave with Pride," Percy made a sour face, her eyes narrowing as she set the case file she'd been holding onto the desk. "Is there something wrong?"

"I hope not," Brody slid off the desk and hobbled in the general direction of Patton's personal technology office. For the past couple of days she'd been unable to access Chris' downloads from his case, her access to his video journal denied. She tried to ignore the intense feeling of worry that had crawled up into her gut and settled there but given her history with Fod, it was impossible. At first she thought that maybe for security reasons they had just changed the password, but with only 10 days left until they ported it didn't seem plausible.

Nearing the door, she could hear the voices of both Pride and Patton.

 _What are you going to tell Brody?_

 _Nothing, until we know something more concrete. I don't want her to worry._

"I'm already worried," Brody countered making her presence known. "And for the record, you should know better than to try and keep things from me." They'd already played this game once before and it had turned out with LaSalle being stuck in middle forced to choose a side between she and Pride.

Pride averted his gaze. She was right. "Tell her, Pat."

Patton rubbed his chin. He wasn't used to delivering bad news when it came to family. "From what we can tell all tracking systems connected to the USS Alabama have gone offline. I noticed in a change in course yesterday and contacted a buddy of mine who confirmed that they've gone dark, off the grid. They have no way of tracking its whereabouts at the moment other than using its last known locations."

"So the Navy lost a submarine?" That's why she couldn't download Chris' notes. The black box had stopped transmitting. Someone with technology skills had obviously tampered with it.

"It appears that way." Pride said.

"So what do we do?" The question sounded silly coming out of her mouth, ridiculous in fact. They could technically do nothing. It wasn't as if they could go out to the Straights of Gibraltar and pluck a submarine from the middle of the ocean.

"The Navy has dispatched a SEAL team out of San Diego to check it out, but even if they find the sub, they have no way to board it without it coming to the surface." Patton added. "Whatever, LaSalle is in middle of he's on his own."

"Is there any way you can wield your magic and somehow communicate with the black box? I mean it technically can't be turned off right? Those things are protected aren't they? They're designed to survive plane crashes and explosions."

Patton glanced at Pride. "It might take me a bit, but what I really need is permission. Dealing with the black box that belongs to the U.S. government, there's a pretty big penalty for messing with it."

Pride gave the technological wizard a tight grin. "This is Christopher, Pat. You don't need my permission."

* * *

Brody sat in the first pew of the Catholic Church in Jackson Square. She wasn't a particularly religious woman, but given the current circumstances surrounding LaSalle's situation she figured the idea of a little divine intervention couldn't hurt. It had worked the first time, when Chris had been stabbed so why not now?

"Why is this happening to us," she said aloud, speaking to no one in particular, her eyes focused heavenward. Truly, hadn't they been through enough? "I love Chris. Can't you see that?"

"He knows that," Cade said from somewhere behind her. "Or at least, I think he does."

Brody's head whipped around to see the older LaSalle brother coming up the aisle way. Embarrassed she dipped her head as he slid in beside her on the smoothly crafted bench. "I thought I was alone," she swallowed.

Cade gave her a sad grin as she looked up at him through her down casted lashes. "I don't know about you, but being alone right now, is just about the last thing I want. Chris is my little brother. If he hadn't found me sittin' in that jail cell when he did, God only knows where I'd be."

Brody nodded, keeping her eyes to the floor. Deftly, her hand slid to Cade's knee, giving it a squeeze.

The corners of Cade's mouth tipped up, into a real smile as he noticed blue sparkles dancing in the dim light. "Yer wearing the ring again." He didn't understand her need to constantly be taking it on and off. That was something between her and Chris, but he was glad to see it at this particular moment.

"Do you think he'd mind that I have it on the wrong hand?" she quipped referring the cast that was currently covering her left. Feeling utterly helpless, it was all she could do. It seemed so silly now to have hesitated she had botched his intended proposal. And for what? Silly nightmares that were probably going to plague her for the rest of her life anyway?

"In this case not at all," Cade chuckled draping his arm lightly around her shoulder.

"Thank you for being here," Brody said softly as the sound of someone clearing their throat came from the back of the church.

It was Jaxxon.

"Sorry to disturb you, but Agent Patton's got some new information on Agent LaSalle."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: A little Cherri on Christmas Eve for those who aren't out and about in a last minute rush. But if you are then you have something for later.**

 **Chapter 13**

The news that a NAVY SEAL team had managed to find the USS Alabama and raise it to the surface should have been good news but as the details started to unfold the events that had occurred under the rule of a murdering Captain, Brody felt little comfort. Thirteen people were dead and for the first few days after the story broke, Merri feared that Chris had been one of them. Like the rest of the world, she and Cade had sat glued to ZNN hanging on the newscaster's every word.

 _This can only be described as a virtual blood bath that took place underneath the sea. More than 300 sailors trapped with no possible means of escape. Thirteen are confirmed dead and more than a dozen injured. Experts say that stress and rising tension amongst the crew may have been a factor._

Pride stepped up behind her and clicked the plasma screen off. "You know that the only information we can trust is our own. What we know for sure is that Christopher is alive and he will call us as soon as he's able." The rest did not matter. LaSalle was finished with this disciplinary assignment. The fall-out, if any was on Director Vance.

Brody gave the senior agent a discerning glance, her heart beating at an unusually fast pace for a woman who was used to dealing with crisis. But this was Chris, the man who had almost asked her to marry him. The unknowns and the waiting were the hardest part. Struggling with all of the what ifs were an entirely new type of torture for the agent. The idea that she was couldn't just go to her lover in his time of need made her stomach twist in knots. Just because he was alive didn't mean he was well.

"Go home, Brody. Wait there with Cade. I'll call you if anything new comes up." Pride said watching her nod woodenly.

Remaining mute, She hobbled over to her desk and open the side drawer to fetch her keys. Inside the drawer sat the trademark gift bag from the famed jeweler of the South. Curious, she pulled back the tissue paper to reveal a small orange colored cardboard box.

"It's the last gift." Pride said meekly. "Sebastian dropped it off this morning."

"So you were all in on this?" She opened the box to reveal an infinity symbol charm attached to a silver chain. Infinity, the sign of forever and timeless love.

* * *

 **Naval Support Assistance Bahrain**

Chris stood in the middle of the hanger looking at the two rows of bodies that sat in their temporary coffins covered with American Flags. Thirteen was such an odd number. It seemed to LaSalle that one row would have been more efficient and uniformed. After all they had all been equally innocent. Good men who had stepped up and tried to do the right thing. Families of the thirteen were being notified, preparations were already stating to be made. From here they would be flown to Bethesda where each would receive a personal escort for the rest of their journey home. Helpless was how he felt. Unshed tears that refused to fall clouded his eyes as he did an about face and walked out meeting Cyril at the entrance. There was nothing left to do now except finish up the paperwork and give his statement to a barrage of people, Assistant Director Owen Granger being one of them.

Together he and Cyril walked down the tarmac in silence, a huge wall of anguish standing between them.

"So, I just got off the phone with my wife. She's really happy that I'm alive." Cyril said finally, trying to garner the young agent's attention, only to earn a slight glance. Since their rescue and arrival at the NSA Chris had barely spoken two words to the man, which was partially understandable but given the fact that he'd failed to reach out to family, Cyril was more than concerned. He'd assessed the agent when they first arrived and determined him a candidate for shock but LaSalle had seemed to have snapped out of it. His friend appeared to be exhibiting avoidance behaviors, a lack of communicating for the most part.

"You know that lovely Agent, Brody that you're always talking about might want to hear that twangy drawl of yours."

"Her first name's Merri." Chris said distantly.

Cyril stopped, catching LaSalle by the shoulder. "Ok, _Merri_ might want to know that you're alive. Women are kind of funny that way. They have a need to know that we're still breathing from time to time."

Chris' face twisted in a reflection of mixed emotions before he tugged his shoulder free of Cyril's grip.

"She deserves to know." Cyril added when the agent refused to verbally respond.

"I'll call her when I get a chance." He was a bit afraid of what would come out once she she started asking questions. He was still trying to process it all himself.

"You know, you need to talk about this preferably before you get home and emotionally vomit all over her."

LaSalle's eyes narrowed, his nostril's slightly flared. "Talkin' isn't what I do. All right?" He had ways of dealing with the emotional shit that came with his job. Besides, Merri still had her own healing to do. It wouldn't be fair if were just to come home after being gone for three months and let everything loose on her.

"Call her," Cyril said firmly slapping his phone firmly into Chris' hand."And then let's talk. It might be good for you to work through your statement with someone who's a neutral ." Unlike LaSalle, the doctor had been spared the gristly details of the evil doings of a select few and was kept confined to the infirmary, as a valuable bargaining chip.

"Nice try, Doc."

Cyril threw his hands up pleading no contest at the change in the man's character before walking away leaving the agent to his thoughts.

Chris stared at the phone looking for a reason not to call, but he couldn't come up with one. It wasn't as if he had purposely not made the call, ok, so that wasn't quite true. He had avoided calling her, but for reasons that had nothing to do with needing her hear her sweet voice. The situation had just leant itself to needing his full attention he tried to reason.

Glancing at his watch, he noted that it was 3 a.m. in New Orleans. It was a little early to be waking his love from the slumbers of sleep but Taft was right. She was probably sick with worry. That or she was wide awake from one of nightmares.

* * *

Brody peeled her eyes open to the evil glare of the clock. Her eyes were so heavily lidded with sleep that it took her a moment to realize that her phone was dancing with vibration on the nightstand. Pulling it to her looked at the strange number and started, with anticipation. The call was coming from overseas.

"Chris?"

The reply sounded distant and a bit forlorn, not at all like himself.

Are you alright? She asked carefully. A pause travelled through the line and she envisioned him licking his lips, a habit he often engaged in when he was at a lose for words.

* * *

"I'm better now." He answered in an almost mechanical fashion.

"Are you hurt?"

Not in the physical sense he thought looking heavenward into the bright afternoon sun. He didn't know quite how to explain what had transpired. The thoughts in his head were still so jumbled by guilt and second guessing his actions that nothing made sense right now.

"Chris, talk to me please." Her voice sounded desperate and not that he could blame her. He was scaring the hell out of her right now but he couldn't help it. Opening up had never been his style. It wasn't as if talkin about it would somehow undue what happened.

"We'll talk when I get home." he swallowed back the threatening lump in his throat that was begging for him to tell all. "Right now I want to hear about this Red Cross message I received ." He needed to focus on something other than the current reality that would haunt him for years to come.

"I broke my hand taking down a suspect," It sounded silly coming out of her mouth compared to what he had just been through. She would save the sprained ankle for when he got home. "Patton just overreacted. I'm fine."

A faded version of his trademark grin started to appear, lighting up his face for the first time in days."well I guess ya don't need any thing from me then."

"I need you to come home and make an honest woman out of me."

"What?" Had he heard her correctly? Was she saying she wanted to get married ? For a second he thought she was reacting more to the situation rather than her heart. "I thought ya said ya still had some heal'in ta do."

He heard her voice crack. "We can heal together."

He squeezed his eyes tightly. Despite his best efforts to sound like there was nothing wrong he was failing miserably. "I like that idea" he said, his voice sounding as broken as her own. "Just say when."

"How about right now?" Her reply came in a playful, yet sexy tone.

"Right here in the middle of hell?" Chris couldn't school his reaction fast enough. He hoped that he hadn't hurt her feelings but he could see what she was trying to do. Like his gifts, she wanted to give him something to hold on to until he was able to get back home. "That's going to be a little hard to ta do be 'in we aren't ta'gether."

"C'mon, Bama Boy use your imagination." She teased, trying to get a rise out of his battered soul. "Say the words: I Alabama take you Michigan..." There was a long lull of silence as the wheels and cogs of his mind started to turn. If Merri really wanted a wedding right now now he would give her one or at least he would try.

"I think I can do one better. Wake up Cade and I'll call ya back in a bit."

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, a very bewildered looking Cade stood dressed in a richly burgundy colored robe, waiting for the phone to ring while Brody paced the kitchen nervous as all get out and debating. Should she make herself presentable for whatever Chris had planned? A twinge started to burn deep in her belly as she questioned what she had started. She had never intended that they would actually... Not at this fragile moment when... It didn't seem right. But then again it did. From a young age her mother had drilled into her head that she needed to have a traditional wedding, not the backyard type, not a quickie performed by the Justice of Peace but a full-blown Miss Manners style, elegant church wedding. Now mind you that wasn't what Merri wanted, she just wanted Chris.

Cade's phone rang and she jumped, her big brown eyes wide with anxiety. Cade stared at her studying her intently. "Ya sure about this?"

Her voice abandoned her so she nodded.

Cade picked up the phone opening the FaceTime App, "Hey Baby Brother! Whatcha up too?"

"bout ta get married I think." Chris sounded as nervous as hell. "That is if you'll stand in fer me."

"Anything ya need."

"I appreciate ya, brother. Now put my beautiful Bride to be on the phone."

Grinning, Cade passed the phone to Brody. "He wants you."

Her hand shaking, she let out shuddering breath as Chris' face filled the small screen. "Hi"

"Ya ready? Cause if you're -"

"I'm ready," she breathed right before the jolly face of a Navy Chaplin appeared. The vows were the standard Protestant script, not that it seemed to matter. He could have been speaking Japanese for all Merri cared.

"The rings?" The rings! When things hadn't worked out in Spain Brody assumed that they would choose rings when Chris got home. Quickly she wriggled her engagement ring off of her right hand and slipped it to Cade.

"Meredith, you'll recite your vows first and then Christopher will follow." The Chaplin said causing Brody's forehead to furrow.

"Chris doesn't have a ring" she replied as if it were going to make a difference at this point. The face of Dr. Cyril Taft appeared. "Hi, your future husband saved my life so I'm going to let him borrow mine and then he's going to let me take his left kidney."

An image of Chris shoving the doctor out of the way took over the screen. "Ignore that last part." He would explain the private joke to her later but for now he was content to just glare at the doctor until he regained control. Nodding to the Chaplin he signaled for the impromptu ceremony to continue.

The need for additional oxygen seemed to be almost overwhelming as Brody started to repeat her vows to Chris. A giggle escaping when Cyril pushed the ring on his finger. When it came time for Chris to repeat his, she latched onto Cade's hands and closed her eyes, envisioning that her absent new husband was standing before her. Sinking her teeth into the side of her cheek she prayed that the swelling in her fingers on her left hand had gone down enough to accommodate the designated wedding band.

Success!

Her eyes popped open as the Chaplin said those iconic words _"I now pronounce you man and wife."_


	14. Chapter 14

The suspect they were surveilling became an afterthought when Merri received Cade's call. She was with Jaxxon on a stakeout serving as an extra set of eyes when her phone suddenly lit up with the text that said 9-1-1, the commonplace emergency signal. At first, she thought that something had happened to her new brother-in-law (brother-in-law, she had yet to speak those words out loud yet).

"Cade? What happened? Is something wrong?"

"Ya got another package, and ya need tuh come see it…NOW," his voice came back.

Another package? Merri was perplexed. She thought the infinity charm that Chris had sent her was the last of the gifts. And why would a package be considered an emergency? Did the man think it was bomb? Was there someone holding a gun to his head?

"Cade, you're scaring me. I need something more specific." She said, trying to keep eyes on the suspect who had all but moved out of her passenger seat view.

"I can't. I just need ya tuh get here as soon as you can."

Merri ended the call and tossed her phone aside. "I need to go. Something has come up with LaSalle's brother." She told Jaxxon. "Take me home."

The handsome but daft Carolina Agent slowly pulled the binoculars that he'd been using to case the house they'd been watching all night and looked at her incredulously. They'd been up for more than twenty-four hours trying to catch a break on the case they'd been working. "You want to leave now? Right in the middle of a stakeout?"

"You owe me!" Brody barked with the ferocity of a Pitbull as she held up her broken hand, which thankfully was sporting a soft cast.

"But Pride told us-" Still being probationary Jaxxon was leery about up and leaving his post without a solid reason, better yet an order from his superior. Not that anyone really blamed him for what happened to Merri, but he still couldn't help but think of it as a strike against him.

"I'll take care of Pride! Just drop me off and come right back!" Silently, she swore under her breath vowing to shoot the man and shove him from the vehicle if he didn't comply. Jaxxon was a nice guy, but he had a way of grating on her last nerve. She was sure that one day he would make a hell of an agent, but today would not be that day.

Fearful of the glint in her large chestnut colored eyes, Jaxxon did as she was told and hightailed it back to the Quarter. "You need me to come inside?" he asked. Not that he'd inquired but he'd heard stories about the mood swings that Cade was prone to and was a bit worried that the man had gone rogue.

"I can handle it." Brody stepped out of the SUV and hobbled into the house as fast as her walking cast would allow, meeting Cade in the kitchen. "What's wrong?" she asked, eyes wide with fear but yet perplexed at the fact that he was leaning against the counter his arms crossed over his chest and lips pressed tightly together.

"It's in the bedroom." He said refusing to offer anymore as she gave him a look that seemed to ask: _do I need to draw my weapon?_ Cautiously, she walked out of the kitchen and toward the bedroom with all senses on high alert until she reached the French doors. Through the glass she could see Chris standing at the wardrobe, putting his clothes away.

He was home? He was home! The thought that he wasn't due in for another six days wasn't even a consideration as a huge smile tipped to her face. Though her ankle protested, she could hardly control herself from running to him.

"Chris!" The man had barely turned around when her slender body slammed into him, her arms tangling tightly around his neck. "Oh my God how did you get here? Why are you here?" she didn't really care about his answer as she began to shower him with kisses all about his face, before finally reaching his lips, those magnificent, rugged lips that molded to hers so well.

It was clear that Merri wasn't into talking. Chris tried to get a hello or some sort of verbal greeting in before her tongue found its way into his mouth, stroking his own in an intense manner that make a spark light up deep from inside his belly.

After several moments, it also became obvious that he was no longer the trigger to the horrid flashbacks to Fod that her kissing him seemed to cause so he just continued to go with it, until the uncomfortable sensation in his groin told him they needed to move forward or stop.

Stop he concluded, being that Cade was in the house and probably feeling pretty awkward right about now. Gently he latched onto her wrists, removing her hands from the tight hold she had around him and pulled back, grinning at her pinkened swollen lips. "Hello, there, Mrs. LaSalle."

Mrs. LaSalle the term sounded strange coming from his lips. Not that he thought there would never be a Missus, it was just at the moment it reminded him a bit of his mother.

"Hello, Mr. LaSalle." Merri returned, giddy as all get out. She knew now that he was home they were going to have to tell more people (than just Cade). But she had that all planned. She would plan a small intimate family gathering when the time was right. Now she just wanted to focus on being with Chris.

It was good to see her smiling again. Chris reasoned as her hands clutched the side of his clean shaven face.

"Let me look at you," she breathed. His hair was shorter and closer to his scalp, like it had been when they first met, which she suspected had to do with the barber on the submarine more than Chris' own personal preference.

Staring at him she looked straight into his eyes. Same beautiful dark blue irises surrounded by a highway of red wavy lines. Jet lag, perhaps? It didn't matter, red, tired, eyes were minor. What she was most curious about was his state of mind. Being confined to a situation where 13 people had been murdered and not being able to stop it had to have taken a serious toll to his psyche.

Chris' hands fell to her flanks molding her hips, "I'm sorry I pulled ya away from your case. I tol Cade not to call ya."

She scoffed softly, her dark eyes widening just a bit. "Why didn't you call me? I could have picked you up, taken the day off."

"I wanted tuh surprise ya," Chris said shyly breaking out in his trademark grin.

"That you did, Bama Boy." She lifted her chin, gently sweeping her lips over his in time with a rueful growl from her stomach that made her realize she hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday afternoon.

"Hungry?" Chris asked raising an eyebrow as her hand found the way to the back of his neck.

"Yes, but not for food." She teased trying to pull him into another full mouth kiss, only to find that he wasn't having it.

"Cade's in the house," he said gentling her with his eyes. "Not to mention, I've got tuh check in with Pride."

Just like that, he had killed her joyous, giddy, mood. Cade she understood. He needed at least a few hours with his brother. But Pride? He just arrived back onto American soil after being separated from her for three months and he wanted to check in with his boss? This made no sense to her. They hadn't even had a chance to consummate their marriage yet.

Her brow furrowed and her pretty mouth with the pale, naked, lips soured. Naked, yeah, he couldn't let his mind go there right now. But he knew the look; it was one that she had used on him many times to show that she was completely fed up. "Uh-oh," he grinned, shaking his head. "I'm in the dog house aren't I?"

More than that, Buster. They had been married 16 days, 14 hours and 23 minutes and hadn't even had some much as an opportunity to brush up against one another, or share a decent kiss. Ok, so they'd had one very short kiss a few minutes ago, but in Merri's mind that didn't count. That was just saying hello. She wanted alone time with him and for the love of God and the smoldering quiver that had just taken up space in her belly, she wanted it right now.

But instead of verbalizing her thoughts she simply nodded her head. "You'll have to drive." She said, hinting at her oh so lovely walking boot.

Chris squeezed his eyes tightly shut in the self-realization of his selfish, preoccupation of other things. He was an official idiot and a failure as a husband for not putting her injury in front of his needs. "I'm sorry, does it still hurt?"

"No, in fact the doctor said I can get rid of it next week."

"Ya need me tuh carry ya to the car or somethin'?" he teased with a glint in his eye that reminded Merri of just how facetious and impish his boyish, fun-loving personality could be. But this was good, she thought, real good.

"If you wouldn't mind," she said, feeling oddly brave and a bit silly for a person who claimed to have a very private personality. In her head, she imagined him carrying her through the threshold scene only going out the door instead of in. It would also give her the opportunity at another go around at his perfectly shaped mouth.

"Well ok, then," Without warning, he ducked just a bit and swooped down, tossing her over his shoulder. He knew he would eventually be in deep trouble for pulling this shenanigan but he didn't care. It would make, his apology for it all the more sweeter.

 **A/N: Not the reunion you were expecting? Don't worry, that's coming...**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: There's a small bit of plot here at the beginning but the rest is all rated "S" for Smut.**

"Agent Pride?" Cade tried not to look too surprised when he opened the door and saw Pride standing on the front stoop with a an authoritative man who was dressed in a suit. He didn't know who the other man was but he knew what they wanted or rather who. They were looking for Chris. He'd known right away that something was off with his baby brother, the minute he'd shown up and the presence of Pride and his guest had just confirmed it.

A smile that nowhere near met Pride's eyes crawled up his face. "Cade, this is Director Vance. He runs our headquarters in Washington DC."

 _The Director of NCIS Operations? Holy Shit!_ Automatically, Cade extended his hand, keeping his character in check. "It's a pleasure sir. What brings ya to New Orleans?"

Vance cordially shook Cade's hand before getting down to business. "Your brother, is he here?"

"Chris?" Cade intentionally furrowed his brow. He suspected the man wasn't here to give his baby brother a medal. "No Sir, To my understanding he's not due in for another 6 days. Is something wrong?"

Pride glanced at Vance before diverting his attention back to the older LaSalle brother. "What about Brody?"

Cade sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck trying to come up with a plausible answer. Pride was Chris' best friend, he couldn't outwardly lie to the man. "Yeah, and I have to apologize, she was here a little while ago. I uh...was...havin' one of my spells and I called her. I didn't mean to tuh git her in trouble or nothin' I just needed someone to talk me through it and with Chris gone..."

Pride reached out placing a mollifying hand on the younger man's shoulder. "It's ok. No harm done. But if you hear from Chris, have him call me, immediately."

"Yes, sir. I will have him do that."

Pride shoved his hands into his pockets and he and Vance started back toward the SUV. "You see Leon, I told you if Christopher were here, he would have called me."

Vance placed his hand on the door handle of silver Expedition. "The two of you tell each other everything do you?"

"No, now I'm not saying that." Pride chuckled fishing out his keys. "The important things mostly."

"Well, was it important enough for him to tell you and he and Brody were married a little over two weeks ago?" Vance smirked, gauging Pride's expression. "I didn't think so." he added when his Senior Agent's face fell.

"Married?" Pride couldn't even fathom the thought. Chris was gone, caught up in a shit storm overseas. Brody was here all banged up from taking down a suspect. "How?"

"By a Navy Chaplin Via telephone." Vance supplied as Pride attempted to recover.

Pride thought for a moment more, letting the revelation sink in, "Well then I guess your attempt at separatin' him and Brody sort of backfired."

"That isn't the point and you know it."

"I do," Pride said, his voice humbling. "But I also know that you put my agent in a volatile situation with no backup and no way to protect himself or any of the other men on that submarine. Now, no disrespect intended, but from where I stand, I think Christopher and Brody deserve a little slack."

"Thirteen people died, Pride." Vance shot back quickly changing the subject.

"No fault on Christopher's part as far as I can see," Pride defended. "But if you have lost my agent and are trying to pin this on him-"

"As of the last contact, LaSalle was fine," Vance said sternly, staring the older man down. "But right now, your agent is off the grid. No one including you, seems to know where he is!"

* * *

The oversized oval shaped tub at the Omni was the perfect size for a newly wedded couple. Filled to the rim with bubbles, a plate of big chocolate covered strawberries nearby and a fluted glass of Merri's favorite wine, she couldn't think of better way to get reacquainted. Well she could but she suspected those things would come after the bath. Chris had really thought of everything she sighed happily, leaning up against his chest. They were really doing this, finally getting the bubble bath Chris had promised her on the night they were attacked by Fod's minion.

Things finally seemed to be going their way or so Meredith Brody-LaSalle thought. She did not yet know of the reasons that had brought Chris home six days early, nor did she care. Not at this particular moment anyway. Right now, she was just content to be lost in his arms, worn down by his kiss and ravished by that lean hard built body she had been dreaming about the for the last 3 months.

Tipping her head back, she turned it ever so slightly. "Kiss me," she whispered huskily.

Chris touched her cheek, his fingers walking her face to his. Teasingly, he showered her lips with sweet tender pecks, that slowly drained her of her resolve. Each time her lips parted he softly stroked the inside perimeter of her mouth with a quick flick of what she was sure had become a forked tongue. For whatever reason he seemed to be deflecting her advances with intimate but subtle counter moves; a nuzzle to her neck, a tender caress to her breast, an occasional playful nip to her earlobe.

Now one would have thought that a man trapped on a submarine for three months would be eager to plunge himself deep inside her loins but not Chris. He wanted to take his time making love to his beautiful bride. In fact, he was being quite pokey about it, Merri thought that he might actually be trying to avoid her. Needless to say she was worried.

"Should I get the timer out?" she asked with one eyebrow arched, looking back at him.

"Not unless ya think ya need it." Chris smiled at her and kissed her cheek before reaching over her for a glass of wine.

Brody made a small noise of displeasure as she watched him swallow the bitter, dry beverage and then pass it to her, where she promptly downed the rest of it and set the empty glass on the tray before plucking the last two strawberries into her mouth "There no more wine, no more chocolate, it's all gone."

Chris couldn't help but chuckle to himself at her obvious frustration. He was trying hard not to come off like a greedy selfish pig and treat his new wife to something rather romantic but she wasn't going for it. Guess it was time for plan "B". Softly, he closed his mouth over hers, giving her what she desired, a full mouth kiss. A small moan escaped her as he started to coerce her lips apart, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth, making him grin.

"Don't worry, there's plenty more where that came from."

Brody gave him a wicked looking scowl as he rose up and reached for the wash cloth that is sat on the side of the tub.

"How's your back?" he asked submerging the wash cloth into the warm bubbly water and quickly pulling it back up. Bias aside, Brody's back is one of the most beautiful he had ever seen, a long straight spine and flawless skin that is neither too white nor too tan, with neither one freckle or mole. Sensually, he squeezed the sudsy cloth over her shoulders until she started to shiver at the sensation of water drizzling down her skin.

"It's good," she sighed closing her eyes as his strong hands start to knead the area around her neck and shoulders.

"Really? Cause, ya feel uh little tense," he said, sticking a thumb into a knot on her right at the base of her neck.

Brody hunched forward a little as he moved on to her shoulder blades, "It's you and this mystery." First, he shown up six days early, without one inkling of an explanation before whisking her off to a surprise honeymoon suit in one of the most expensive hotels in the Quarter. Now Brody wasn't one to complain about such a lovely romantic surprise, but there was just something about him that didn't seem quite up to par.

"Ya don't like uh little mystery?" he quipped, sliding his hands under her arms so that they were wrapped completely around her, cupping her round supple breasts. He leaned forward, pressing his weight into her as he started to nuzzle her neck. "I love ya, Michigan."

"Show me how much," Brody tipped her head back again nudging him with her nose until he gave her his mouth, kissing her just long enough that she started to feel a forgotten twinge between her legs.

He knew that the position she was sitting in with her head turned, had to be awkward and he wondered-

Wonder no more.

Twisting around, in-between his legs, a large wave of water splashes out onto the pristine white marble tiled floor as Brody managed to find a bit more comfort straddling her legs over his thighs. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she inches her apex closer to his length, allowing her kiss to go rather sloppy and primal. For a moment, teeth nash together as greed and the frustration of being separated by the buoyancy in the water fight one another for control. Her mind started to spiral as her nipples grow hard from the air that still exists between them and she wonders if Chris' have done the same. A release from her hand, slipping from his shoulder confirms it. His nipples are indeed hard. Allowing her hand to take the lead, she guides it's southward. He's only semi-hard but she's not disappointed. Being in a bathtub, isn't the same as a hot steamy shower or warm flesh pressed against one another on a firm mattress. But for the moment she can enjoy the attempt at foreplay.

Bucking her hips, she deposited herself into his lap closing the distance, wrapping her slender legs around his lean torso.

Chris anchored her neck, holding her in place, while his other hand starts to roam toward the heat that so eager desires his touch. He felt her muscles clench and then quiver against his fingers. Taking full advantage, he delicately caresses her folds and slides two fingers in as she lets out a deep throaty moan that reverberates throughout her entire body.

After 3 months of separation he finds that her body succumbs to him rather easily. His will too, if he allows her the chance. But rather than playing along, Brody clung to him tightly until her body's release, burying her head into the crook of his neck, panting heavily against his shoulder. She won't admit it, but she's rather embarrassed that her body gave in so easily.

"I think I'm ready to get out." she murmurs, into his throat, still clinging to him.

Chris places one hand on the side of the tub and stupidly tries to raise up, but her added weight won't allow him to lift her but an inch or so. "I can't." he tells her, his ass hitting the bottom of the tub with hard thud, water again sloshing over the side.

Humph! Brody scoffed playfully, as she releases him and moves to stretch to her full height. "Guess, I'll have to do all of the work."

"Now I'd like to see that," Chris' eyes lit up as his famous LaSalle grin slides all the way up to his gorgeous blue eyes.

Brody stepped out of the tub first, careful not to slip in the puddle of water that they had created on the floor and reached for an oversized, fluffy towel. Quickly, she wrapped it around her and reached for a second as Chris got out in all of his naked glory. Handing him the towel, she gives him a chaste kiss in which he responds in kind and then drops the towel to the floor before sliding to his knees.

"Here, lem'me get yer legs." he said, yanking her towel from her wet body while his serves as a buffer from the hard tile floor.

Brody looked down at him rather enjoying the fact that he's kneeling at her feet.

Deftly, he pats, one foot and then the other before running the towel up one thigh and then the other, pausing to kiss the area above her hairline. She smells of the hotel soap and flowery scented bubble bath. He kisses her again, before reaching around her and delicately drying her bottom. Looking down, he sees her toes begin to curl and knows she can hardly stand this.

"Get up here," she said in a seductive voice, cupping his chin.

In a beat, he rises to his feet, gathering her face in his hands, claiming her mouth. The result; an almost savage kiss with both fighting for control. But it's finally Brody who concedes, making soft whimpering sounds as she slows the pace, making it more sensual before she pulls away, panting, softly.

"You want to try carrying me through the threshold again?" she teases, nibbling at his bottom lip.

"The threshold of the bathroom?" Chris raised an eyebrow before scooping her up and effortlessly carried her into the other room. Her arms remain tightly wound around his neck as he deposits her glistening form onto the bed and he has to pry himself away from her. The pleading in her eyes says, she wants him badly, though she'll never say it out loud. With Brody, things always have to be equal, rarely does she want to play the part of the submissive. But tonight seems to be different. Could it be just a simple case of letting a newly wedded husband, make love to his adoring wife?

"Just lem'me get a look at ya," he said, licking his lips before bending over the bed and slowly kissing his way up her lovely taut stomach. Cupping her breast, he takes it into his mouth, letting his opposite hand work the south side while she withers beneath him.

Instinctively, she pulls her knees up and nudges him gently at the hip, trying to get him to roll to the side. So, this _wedding night_ scenario feels a little one sided, not that she's complaining.

Briefly, he looks up at her and gives her a soft kiss before taking the opposite breast. "This moments all about you, honey." It all comes out a mouthful but he doesn't care as he hovers over her, gently pushing her legs apart before sinking deep inside of her with pleasurable slow thrusts.

 **A/N: What do y'all think? Should Pride and possibly Director Vance walk in on our newlyweds?**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Ok I think we're entering the homestretch with this one, just a little more to go.**

Half-sitting, against pillows that were propped up against the headboard, Merri closed her eyes, enjoying the aftershocks from the moment she had just spent with Chris. Being away for three months had definitely not hindered the man's form, nor his prowess in helping her reach new orgasmic heights.

"That was nice." She sighed, lazily dropping a hand into his short sprigs of hair as his head rested up against her swollen bosom.

"Nice ain't the word for it", he grinned before planting a kiss in valley between her breasts.

"I think we set a new record." She teased watching his head jerk upward.

"For you meb'be," he quipped. The truth was Chris loved her body, the way it felt when he was inside of her, the way she tasted against his lips, her heavenly scent of vanilla mixed with a slight hint of brown sugar. There was just nothing else to compare it too. His new wife was as close to perfect as they came and he gained pleasure from serving her sexual wants and needs.

"Maybe I'll let you have a freebie doggy style later." She smiled, cupping his chin. He'd shared with her before that there was a just a different feel to the way that her muscles wrapped around him when they were in the position. They were tighter, not that Merri was loose by any means, but it was just more gratifying for him at times to take her that way.

"I might just hold ya too that." He winked at her, before climbing his way up to her lips. "But right now, I just wanna hold ya in my arms and get some shut-eye." After flying 22 hours, jet lag and the time change had him whipped. "And then after that a little Commander's Palace for some dinner." He yawned, placing his head on her shoulder. "and afterwards, we can come back here for round two." He teased, taking her hand as he rolled onto his side, so that she was spooned up against his back.

"Round two, I like that," she said, punctuating her words with soft kisses to his back before inspecting the scars that were once the trigger to her nightmares. After 7 months, they had healed quite nicely. Most had faded to half-inch white lines that seemed to be at peace. But there was one that still bothered her. The one directly over his left kidney was still angry and deformed. For some reason it hadn't healed like the others. Delicately, she ran her finger over it, in prayerful reflection. They could actually be happy now she smiled consenting to the fact that the unsightly scar would help keep her humble.

Moving her hand under his ribs so that it was resting on his side she encountered something that she had not noticed before, a ridge that ran horizontally. It was straight, maybe a half inch to an inch long. The skin around it was dry, flaking as if it were healing.

"Chris, what is this?" she asked increasing the pressure so that he winced.

"Nothin,'" he said quickly rolling back on to the offensive side that was about to have his new bride all wound up in knots.

"Chris-" Her brows arched as she shot him her sternest of looks.

"It's nothin,' for ya to worry about," he countered touching her face. Their lips met and he felt her stiffen. Seemingly, she had steeled herself against his charm.

"I always worry about you and on occasion I still have dreams where you end up dead. So don't you dare lie to me."

He chewed his lip, letting his eyes fall into the sheets. "All right, someone took a shot at me." He lifted his head, to gauge her expression, "But I swear it was just a scratch, there weren't any stitches or nuthin'" he added looking at her a bit owl eyed.

"Shot-" she repeated letting out a quite scoff. "How?"

"Everything that happened that on the Sub is classified, I can't tell ya." Technically, it was still an ongoing investigation and since it wasn't NOLA's investigation, he was obligated not to say anything.

Brody gave him another murderous glance. How could he not be able to tell her of all people? She understood classified, she really did. But still. She was his wife and not an ordinary wife, she was a federal agent.

"I need to get back to work or Pride will be calling soon," she said icily glancing over Chris' shoulder at the clock, she was way past due her limit of personal time to care of Cade's so called emergency. She also hadn't forgotten that she had left Jackson high and dry in the middle of a stakeout and with this newest revelation, she needed some air.

"Wait-" Chris latched onto to her arm as she started to she roll over in time with her phone coming to life.

"I need to get that." She swallowed, turning away from him.

"I'll tell ya!" Chris reached over her and grabbed at the phone knocking it from the nightstand. The phone bounced and then settled face down on the carpet. Both peered over the edge of the bed, staring down at the hapless phone until it went silent.

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled back into his chest, despite her initial squirming. "OK, it happened like this. I shot at the bad guy, he shot at me." He told her, wide eyed, his heading bobbing. "But you should see him-"

Merri pressed two fingers to his lips, silencing anything more he might have wanted to say. "Ok, I get it. You can't talk about it. But next time a little warning in advance would be nice."

"You got it." He said, giving her a chaste kiss that quickly deepened with any luck, he could coax into round two before he lost her to the hustle and bustle she had going on for whatever case. He wasn't quite sure if his body could handle another round so soon, but the idea of keeping her wrapped up in this moment without the interference of the outside world, particularly anything that might pertain to the horrible massacre he had recently witnessed was more than tempting.

Merri twisted in his arms and wrapped her hands around his biceps, pulling herself away. "I really do have to get back. So, what'll be? Are you going to stay here and sleep or come with me to the office? I know some people who would really like to see you." Secretly, she hoped that if she brought Chris in tow, that Pride would let her go once all of the greetings and welcome backs had been made.

* * *

Professionalism was out the window as Brody tugged on Chris' hand pulling him through the large green barn style doors. "Look, who I just happen to run into-"she beamed, the rest of her words dying on her lips, as the welcoming party came into view.

Pride and Director Vance were standing in the middle of the room, staring at them expectantly with hard glances.

"Mr. and Mrs. LaSalle, how nice of you to join us." Vance tossed out.

Brody let go of Chris' hand, looking back at him as if he were the center of attention in the room.

Chris looked past her, directly at Pride. "Uh-Oh, I know that look. I'm in trouble aren't I?"

Pride momentarily shifted his eyes to Vance. "Christopher, Director Vance wants to have a word with you. Brody, you're with me in the courtyard."

"What's going on?" Brody asked, as the senior agent's hand fell to the small of her back, guiding her outside to the small wrought iron patio table.

"Sit," Pride told her.

"I think I'd rather stand," she countered, crossing her arms over her chest as he stood before her with his hands on his hips.

"So, you and Christopher got married."

Brody's eyes automatically, went to the clay gravel at her feet. "I...we were going to tell you as soon as Chris got back."

"I see and when did you and Chris decide this?" he quizzed.

"It just sort of happened. We didn't plan it." Well, they had but then had gotten caught up in the moment.

"Didn't plan it." Pride repeated. "The two of you were just talkin' on the phone and decided that getting married was the thing to do."

"Something like that, but Chris and I are adults," Brody felt her neck start to grow warm. She was starting to feel as if she and Chris were a couple of teenagers who without much forethought decided to just up and elope.

"Well aware, but just think about all of this." Pride took a moment to rub his nose. "You and Christopher get married on a whim after another huge tragedy in your lives and then he shows up here six days before his investigation is officially closed."

Brody closed her eyes, letting out a sigh. She had been so caught up in the fact that Chris had come home that she hadn't stopped to think about his very highly publicized case. He'd left an open investigation. No wonder Director Vance was here. "Let me guess you think he's still in some sort of shock and can't handle the trauma."

"You're the one with PTSD, you tell me," Pride tossed out in investigator mode.

Brody pursed her lips, but refused to break eye contact. "I'll talk to him. Just let me take care of it."

"You sure you're up for it?"

Brody really didn't know. She was still trying to deal with her own demons.

Pride gave her a subtle nod. "All right then, you take care of Christopher and I'll smooth things over with Leon."

 **A/N: I know what you're all thinking, but this last little hurdle is what ties the title together with the story: Girl with the Healing Touch. But I promise, Brody will have some very intimate ways of healing him! Fluff Alert!**


End file.
